At Peace
by Nigelcat1
Summary: After the war a much betrayed Harry decides to chuck it all and leave Magical Britain to start a new life and do what HE WANTS TO DO and not what others demand of him. He escapes but finds that now Muggles want to control his life but this Harry refuses to bow down to anybody and still must fight for his freedom.
1. Chapter 1 - Several Last Straws

AT PEACE

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 1 – Several Last Straws

It had been a beautiful day and Roddy Owens had just finished putting most of his garden to bed for the season. There were still a few root vegetables that were growing and some that he was leaving to go to seed so he would have seeds to plant next year but for the most part the garden would shortly go to sleep for the winter.

He had been working on this for several days as he had a rather large garden in comparison to his medium-size house. There was also a greenhouse in the very back of the property hidden from view where he grew some "special things" for his own use. No the greenhouse wasn't for growing pot or whatever you wanted to call it, just certain plants from his life of so long ago.

Well actually it wasn't so long ago just a mere seven years but to the man it seemed like a lifetime had passed since the day he was obliged to leave the world he once belonged to. You see Roddy Owens was not his real name. He never thought about his real given name anymore as he had legally changed his name to Rodrick Patrick Owens. Rodrick had been the middle name of his maternal grandfather and Owen had been the man's first name.

Patrick he took as his new middle name after the Patron Saint of Ireland, St. Patrick, because he had first moved to that land. Roddy would be the first to tell you that he had little in common with the revered saint except for perhaps one special act they did share slightly. There was a legend that St. Patrick had cast out all of the snakes from Ireland. Roddy had destroyed a rather powerful, wicked Snake and had saved Britain. St. Patrick was a well-loved, honored and revered individual for the many good things he did – he was made a saint after all and green was the color most associated with him.

Roddy was also associated with the color green as his Snake had claimed that lovely hue as his own and Roddy himself looked out on the world with eyes the color of emeralds. But unlike the saint, Roddy was reviled, shunned, slandered, abandoned and had to flee to live a life of his own choosing.

Rodrick Patrick Owens had once been known as Harry James Potter. His Snake had been known as Lord Voldemort. Thanks to a prophecy which only the late great Albus Dumbledore had heard in its entirety, the Snake had ruined Harry's life, killed his parents, doomed him to a miserable, abuse-filled childhood (well actually Dumbledore had done that but let's still blame the Snake), had made the six years of the boy's education filled with danger, abuse, slander and loneliness, saw the boy witnessing the horrible death of a classmate, the stupid, foolish death of his godfather and the next year the contrived death of his supposed mentor.

All that alone would have made any life miserable and unhappy. However, according to the prophecy - which only the late great Albus Dumbledore had heard in its entirety – the boy with the dreadful life was destined to be the savior of the world which had used him so ill and had cared for him so little.

The mentor had never really trained the boy, and it could be said that he went out of his way to see that the boy had as little training and knowledge as possible. There had been no logical reason for this until the boy realized after the mentor's death that there really was a reason – he was to be a martyr, the sacrificial lamb, to live a wretched life and die a hero's death, but leaving the triumph and laurels to be given to others such as the mentor. All this due to a prophecy - which only the late great Albus Dumbledore had heard in its entirety – and finally told to the boy when he had been at his lowest point as well as being in shock.

Unfortunately, the mentor who always had everything planned down to the smallest detail had made many mistakes, although he would never admit to them. The last and most deadly had been putting on the Snake's cursed ring and thus dooming himself to certain death. Only the quick action and talents of another pawn had extended the mentor's life for another year.

Anyone as altruistic as the mentor was proclaimed to be should have confided in his experienced associates all of the knowledge he had gained concerning the Snake and all of the plans that he had made and the ways and means to destroy the cursed objects and then how so that the Snake could be defeated by anyone when they were finally destroyed.

Of course, the mentor had originally planned to be that one. He would hunt down the Horcruxes, those evil containers which housed pieces of the Snake's soul, and then the boy must fulfill his destiny and die as alas he too was one of the containers. Then once all the containers and the boy were destroyed the plan had been for the mentor to swoop in and once again save the day.

After all his many accomplishments, especially his defeating of the century's other Dark Lord, the defeat of this even worse Snake would ensure his fame forever. He would go down in history as a new Merlin.

All the others, all the deaths, the ruined lives, the pawns made, played, used and then discarded, it would all be worth, as it was for the Greater Good and the end justified the means after all. The main pawn, the boy, had already had his moment of glory as the Boy-Who-Lived and managed to gain a few more titles, although much more pain, continual abuse and living a pathetic life. At the end, if he was lucky, was brave enough and managed to die in public and with glory, he would have again been called a hero and would have a paragraph or two in the grand and future biography of the mentor. What more could a doomed pawn ask for?

Well the mentor died leaving nothing really worthwhile for the boy and his arranged for friends to go on. It had only been the true bravery, self-sacrifice and pure dumb luck of the boy (along with some research by his bossy, know-it-all- issued-by-the-mentor friend) that the Snake had finally been able to be defeated.

But at what cost? So many people with lost or ruined lives, destruction, despair, grief for the dead, a ruined economy, the exposed foolish reputation of Magical Britain on the world stage for the world to laugh at (tsk-tsk) and to use of an example of how _**not**_ to run a government.

A scapegoat was needed and was one of the greedy, unscrupulous, cowardly government officials chosen? Fudge would have done nicely as that description fitted him to a tee. Any living Death Eater with brains, a glib tongue and lots of gold in Gringotts (Malfoy) also managed to evade such a fate. So who was it then? Why the boy, the pawn, the savior, the true hero.

He was an orphan with money (most of which he didn't know he had thanks to the mentor) and had committed a crime by stealing from Gringotts a dark object which they knew they had and shouldn't have hid it but had anyway, but which dark object HAD TO BE DESTROYED TO SAVE THEIR WORLD.

They lost a dragon also and the building was damaged so the hero could be prosecuted since he had money in their bank. Of his two accomplices one had no vault (being a Muggleborn) and the other had a family vault but no money in it (and a brother who worked for the bank) so they were absolved from all guilt as the hero had more than enough money to satisfy the Goblins' greed.

It had been the Ministry, led by someone who the boy had respected and trusted, who had told the boy that for the "Greater Good" his fortunes would be confiscated to prevent another Goblin uprising. The damage that his robbery had caused would be paid for and thus the boy would not be killed by the Goblins for the outrage and atrocities he had committed against the Goblin nation.

The rest of the inheritance he didn't know he had, was already out of his reach as, he found out via the Minister of Magic, that the mentor, "acting as your magical guardian, used money from the main Potter vault to finance the Order of the Phoenix as he knew your parents would have wanted it so used and if anything was left over, it was to go to Hogwarts if the school needed financial assistance. It seems your parents didn't leave a Will."

Actually the boy's parents had but the Will had been sealed and some under the table greasing of palms had been done between the mentor and a Goblin and thus the Potter vault had been raided. Apparently his trust vault had been emptied some time before his attack on Gringotts and a lot of money from the Black Family vault which he had inherited from his late godfather had also disappeared.

The Minister of Magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, had "comforted" Harry with the news that "Since you probably aren't going back to finish your education at Hogwarts (says who, thought the boy), I will get you and Ron Weasley into the Aurors – you earned the right. Right now we are in very bad straights here at the Ministry, but as soon as we can scrape together some money in a few years, you will get your well-deserved Order of Merlin, which comes with a nice amount of money. See kid, it will all work out in the end," the smiling Minister had told him.

But Harry Potter had decided he didn't want to be an Auror now that the war was over. He actually did want to go back to Hogwarts and even if it took him a few extra years to do it in, he wanted to actually learn some things. The more he thought about it the more he considered being a healer. He would have to find someone to actually teach him the right way to brew potions, but he could do it given a chance and nobody was around to sabotage his work.

He had always held back due to his being forced not to outdo Dudley, and he had goofed off and held back so as not to lose Ron as a friend. That was a big mistake and he knew it as soon as he walked into his Divination class. He should have taken Ancient Runes as that would have been much more useful. Perhaps it was not too late.

Harry had been shocked when McGonagall had denied him a seventh year. "After all Mr. Potter, you chose not to take the classes which you want to take now and your utter lack of dedication to your studies in the past lead me to think that you would not do so now. Besides you have been offered a job at the Ministry to become an Auror and you will be getting paid while you are learning. Your future is already settled whereas we need all the funds we can get to rebuild the school and give other children, especially orphans, a chance of getting a good education."

With that said she had basically dismissed him. He stood there rooted to the spot until his anger would not be controlled and through gritted teeth he shouted at her. "In case you so conveniently forgot, most of the money being used to rebuild this school was mine – until Dumbledamn helped himself to it without my knowledge or permission. And since you also have conveniently have forgotten I happen to BE AN ORPHAN IN NEED OF A GETTING A GOOD EDUCATION – UNLIKE THE ONE I HAD HERE!"

McGonagall froze in the middle of her paperwork before looking up at him with what seemed like hatred in her eyes. She then exploded.

"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU INSULT ALBUS DUMBLEDORE! HOW DARE YOU INSULT THIS SCHOOL!"

She stopped to take a breath before continuing her rant. "You wasted your time here. You told me you wanted to be an Auror. Had you not committed ROBBERY you would not be in the financial situation you now find yourself in. Your parents WOULD HAVE WANTED Albus to use that money to fund the Order and rebuild the school and he had every right to use it as he saw fit. You are an ungrateful, egotistical, immature, fickle, lazy…"

She was stopped in mid-rant when Harry spelled her off her chair and onto her ass.

"YOU BITCH. YOU HAVE THE NERVE TO TALK. YOU WERE THE WORST HEAD OF HOUSE AND STOOD BY AND LET ALL THE SLANDER, HURT AND HORRORS HAPPEN TO ME FOR THE SIX YEARS I WAS HERE. THE DADA TEACHERS WERE THE PITS – EXCEPT FOR REMUS LUPIN AND A DEATH EATER - BINNS IS A TOTAL WASTE, TRELAWNEY IS A JOKE AND SNAPE – WELL SNAPE WAS SNAPE."

He might have continued letting out his feeling but he noticed McGonagall going for her wand and his reflexes kicked in automatically. He cursed her again and then tied her in magical ropes, conjured an apple which he stuck rather forcefully in her mouth, uttered some rather nasty afterthoughts and then turned heeled and left her office.

Once he was in a part of the hall where there were no pictures or ghosts lurking about he called out, "Kreacher" and the elderly elf had popped in front of him. "Please take me to 'home' and then the elf popped him out of Hogwarts.

"Home" was not Grimmauld Place. Harry truly never wanted to return there ever again, not only for the bad memories it held, but although he owned it, it was really not his. It seemed that Dumbledore and the Weasleys knew that the pantries were magically refillable, ordered and paid for by the House of Black estate. That was how Kreacher had survived all those years with never having left the house after Mrs. Black died. The Order had lived off the bounty while the house had been its Headquarters. Mrs. Weasley had taken advantage of the situation once the war had ended. Harry hadn't stopped her as what was his was the Weasleys also, or at least it had been until two days ago.

Since the news had come out that Harry had basically lost his fortune, the Weasleys had become a bit cool towards him. At first he chalked it up to the fact that they were still in mourning for Fred and maybe they had, like so many others, blamed him for it. Harry had felt guilty for every death which had happened since Dumbledore's death. He really shouldn't have as if anyone was to blame it should have been Dumbledore. Had he acted years before perhaps Voldemort would not have risen again or could have been taken down sooner, but he hadn't and nobody really knew it except Harry.

After all this was Albus Dumbledore! He could do no wrong, made no mistakes and was the Leader of the Light. He also had the good fortune to have died before the war had turned into the hell which it became. He now had the title of "martyr" added to the list of his many accomplishments and despite the nasty biography Rita Skeeter had written about him (which had been taken off the shelves at the first opportunity), he had become an even greater legend.

Harry only acquired another notch on the scapegoat belt as it seemed that many grieving people had to blame somebody for their loss. It was especially those people who had not defended themselves, had not fought back, had just gone along with the horror until they were saved that shouted their outrage aloud the most.

Apparently it was all Harry Potter's fault that their loved ones had died. If he had only acted sooner instead of going off doing whatever it was he was doing then their family and/or friends would still be alive.

There were also nasty rumors going about that Harry had made a run for it and Ron Weasley and his Muggleborn girlfriend had chased after Harry until they found him and dragged him back to fulfill his destiny.

Harry didn't have to wonder how that rumor had started as Ron had spent the last few weeks giving interviews as to what happened during the war. Naturally Ron's role in the war grew to greater proportions than what it had actually been. His desertion of Harry and Hermione during the Horcrux hunt was not mentioned.

Witches were swarming all over him and he couldn't walk down Diagon Alley without being mobbed. For some reason he was seen walking down the Alley every day – sometimes two or three times a day. His picture was in the _Prophet_ every day and he had started to do endorsements.

Harry would never deny Ron his moments of fame. All during their time at Hogwarts every time one of their "adventures" had ended Harry was usually in the infirmary (unconscious) or just didn't want to talk about it. Ron did and he always saved the "best parts" for when Harry and Hermione were not around to hear the "real story." His exploits grew larger every time he told the story. Most people didn't believe him or at least not the large role Ron had played in the story. First years were usually impressed but as the years passed and they grew to know Ron Weasley better, they learned to take his words with a grain of salt.

However, most of the British public didn't go to school with Harry and since Harry would not give any interviews, they had to get the "real story" some way. Enter Ronald Bilius Weasley one of the Golden Trio members who was ready, willing and able to tell exactly what happened.

Hermione had gone to Australia to look for her parents and just returned the day that Harry had the interview with Kingsley. Hermione had gone directly to the Burrow as Hogwarts was still being repaired. She had not received as warm a welcome as she would have liked as Molly Weasley was in the middle of cooking a huge dinner for the exulted company that would be dining at their home that night. Molly had not even had the courtesy or concern to ask if Hermione had found her parents. Instead she ordered the girl to "pop over to Grimmauld and see what is taking Ron so long to get the supplies I need."

Hermione did not know about the refilling pantry situation but she went over there anyway thinking that perhaps the Weasleys had left some of their provisions there. She apparated to the house which she hated almost as much as Harry and did not like what she found.

Ron was there all right but he was not alone. Instead there were several of their classmates – Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Lavender Brown, Parvati Patil and several other females which Hermione was not acquainted with. They were older witches, probably in their early or middle twenties, who Hermione did not recall ever seeing at Hogwarts. They were dressed rather vulgarly – all right they looked like sluts!

It seemed that Ron had been sent by his mother to "pick up a few things from Grimmauld Place" but he had better things to do until it occurred to him that he should take a few friends – old and new – to the house and have a bit of a party of their own. None of the people with him had been granted access to the house but Ron just had everybody hold onto his robes as he flooed them over to the house one at a time. Then the party started. Ron ordered the best booze and snacks available, a lot of drinking was done and more was planned until Hermione showed up.

Ron hadn't wanted Hermione to go looking for her parents, but she had. He tried to talk her out of going while she had tried to convince him to go with her and then the two of them could have a well-deserved holiday while looking for the Grangers. Ron had not wanted to go because he was lazy, didn't want to spend money (even though it would be Hermione's money they were spending) and didn't want to "share" Hermione with her parents.

But now he was having too much fun at home, especially after she had left and the fame, money, interviews, women, partying, etc. had started happening. He had decided that if she never came back, he would survive, and survive very well.

But there she was and the fight had started. It was during the middle of the very loud row that Harry had innocently returned home. Hermione was not doing too well as their fellow Gryffindors were all drunk and razzing the girl. The sluts were looking on and laughing much like Pansy Parkinson had done when Draco had said something "funny."

Ron was being verbally abusive and when Harry came in it looked as if he was about to get a bit physical as he shakily drew his wand and it looked like he was going to curse Hermione. Naturally she saw him and easily disarmed him and this only made him furious. He jumped up and leaped towards her but fell flat on his face much to the laughter of the others.

But Harry knew Ron all too well and knew what the fool was going to attempt. This was when Harry stupefied and bound his "best mate" and the laughter stopped when everybody saw the look on Harry's face.

Everything happened quickly then. The unauthorized guests quickly left, with Seamus and one of the sluts each grabbing as many bottles as they could grab before leaving. Hermione briefed Harry about her return and why she was there. Harry left Ron bound and asked "What the hell is going on in my house?"

Ron was embarrassed and angry and being very drunk didn't help matters at all. Harry ascertained that Hermione still had her bottomless bag with her possessions in it and invited her to stay at Grimmauld while he picked up Ron, still bound, and pushed him through the floo yelling at him "Don't come back until you are invited."

With Kreacher's help, Harry was in the middle of resetting the House wards changing the access codes when a very angry Molly Weasley came out of the floo. Naturally she had her mouth in gear and had insulted both Harry and Hermione within about 15 seconds with no intention of stopping anytime soon.

"My poor Ronnie told me what you two….horrible people…did to him and I WON'T STAND FOR IT. You will come back to the Burrow and apologize this instant and I want the supplies I sent him here for. When I think of all of the things we have done for both of you and this is how you treat us…"

Both Harry and Hermione could guess just what Ronnie had told his mother, all of it lies and Molly Weasley hadn't even bothered to tell them what Ronnie had said just that they had treated him horribly and she, of course, would never stop to listen to anybody defending themselves by telling their side of the story.

The ranting abuse just got worse and worse, louder and louder and only stopped for the few seconds that it took Molly to throw a list at Kreacher yelling "get these things for me NOW" before going back to her ranting.

It was then that something inside of Harry snapped and he found himself finishing the ward resetting resulting in Molly Weasley being thrown out into the street in front of Grimmauld Place. He and Kreacher quickly finished the resetting.

"Oh Harry, you are in for it now," said an unhelpful Hermione. "Mrs. Weasley is going to be so angry at you that you will probably have to crawl on your hands and knees and beg to be allowed back to the Burrow."

He looked at her coldly before saying, "What makes you think I ever want to go back to the Burrow?" Hermione was shocked _**speechless**_ (a true patronus worthy moment thought Harry to himself), and he took the opportunity in the lull to update Hermione on all that had been happening while she had been away. It was very enlightening and Hermione remained quiet while she _actually listened for once_ without interrupting Harry.

When he was finished he took the time to ask "Well did you find your parents?"

"What? On yes, yes I did and they were very angry with me and it took me days to convince them that what I did was for their own good. They were still angry with me when I left and as it stands now they are deciding if they will even consider coming back home as they really like Australia."

They talked for a while and Kreacher made them a simple dinner after he had cleaned up the mess Ron and friends had made. Hermione spent the night in the room she had stayed with Ginny while Harry tossed and turned in the bed he had claimed for himself.

He had never wanted to share a room with Ron at Grimmauld and Sirius said he could have his own room but Molly Weasley had put her foot down and informed Sirius that "Harry will be sharing with Ron and that is that."

Harry had noticed that Sirius was going to argue but then changed his mind. Harry had lost some respect for Sirius at that moment. It was his ancient house and he was its lord and master yet Dumbledore sat at the head of the table and ordered everybody around, especially Sirius, while Molly ran the house with an iron fist and a tornado of a mouth.

The next day Harry was awaken by Kreacher informing him that someone was trying to break the down the wards. It seemed that an irate Molly Weasley had badgered her son Bill, the curse breaker, to bring a team and break down Harry's wards. Harry tried to talk to Bill, as he was a sensible man, a good, brave man and a great friend. All Bill would say to Harry was "I'm sorry Harry, Mum is in a horrible mood and is screaming that she wants these wards down and you on your hands and knees begging forgiveness."

"And you are doing this highly illegal thing why?"

Bill did have the decency to look ashamed, especially when Harry had told him what had really happened but all Bill said to that was "I'm figured it was something like that considering it was Ron doing the whining. I know what he has been going around saying and doing and while I don't approve of any of it…well you know how Mum is and Ron has been….well you know how it is."

"Oh yes, I do 'know how it is' so that is why I am saying that you WILL STOP THIS NOW OR I WILL CALL THE MINISTRY."

Bill sighed before saying, "Harry, Kingsley gave us permission to do this as Mum gave him some song and dance…well he approved it because Mum has threatened to have it blasted all over the _Prophet_ if…"

It was then that Harry stopped the conversation, called Kreacher and Hermione, informed her that he and she were leaving within the next 5 minutes so to grab her stuff and then Kreacher would place the house in permanent lock down. In the next 5 minutes Bill and his staff were thrown across the road into the small park.

Hermione was told to go to Hogwarts where he would catch up with her and to tell McGonagall he was going to come back for his seventh year. Harry then stormed off to the Ministry, barged through the door to Kingsley's office and told him in no uncertain terms that he was not going to be an Auror and left. Just to be thorough, Harry flipped Kingsley the universal finger signal for disrespect as he left the office.

He then apparated over to the _Daily Prophet_ , demanded to see the editor and after the editor gave his word to print exactly what Harry said in the interview, Harry Potter would give his one and only interview.

After a grueling session and constant editing and revising, the interview was ready to be printed. It was very late at night and Harry had actually slept at the _Prophet's_ office. With a pre-distribution copy of the paper in his hand, he apparated to the one place he thought no one would look for him.

It was to the home of Andromeda Tonks that Harry had referred to as "home" after the disastrous interview with McGonagall. The morning before when he had showed up at her home she had gladly let him in.

They had become rather close as he was little Teddy's godfather. He had originally planned to set up a trust vault for the boy but then he had been "robbed" as he called it. She was one of the few people who had never blamed him for the death of her daughter or her husband, Remus Lupin. She actually blamed Dumbledore and when Harry heard this he had confided to her all of the manipulations Dumbledore had done to everyone.

When everything had come crashing down on the poor boy, she gave him comfort and advice. "You might consider leaving Britain for a while. If you need some money I might be able to arrange…"

"Thank you but no, I did manage to empty my trust vault before I left on the 'quest' and I stashed it in a safe place. There isn't much to provide for Teddy at the moment, as I will have to find some way to continue my education and get a job. Hopefully by the time he is ready for Hogwarts I will be able to contribute some funds if not all – depending on what kind of job I get."

When the interview came out, reactions were mixed. Harry didn't write about his childhood abuse or about the abuse he had suffered at Hogwarts. He did tell the truth of his adventures there, citing Ron's real contributions and including Hermione. He defended himself and told briefly about being on a quest and stated in the paper that Ron Weasley was an outright liar about most of what he said. Oh he gave him credit where it was due but he refused to have his name slandered by his once "best mate" who he now considered an enemy.

Harry had gone so far as to tell what had happened at "the House of Black estate," including the Weasley's helping themselves to the expensive food and drink. He told how Ron had violated the trust given by sneaking in people who were not allowed on the premises and them all getting drunk and Ron attempting to attack Hermione, as well as Molly Weasley's behavior and outrageous demands, including Bill and the team showing up. He then via the _Prophet_ interview officially ended his friendship with ALL the Weasleys.

Andromeda had been horrified to read that he actually told the whole story and in print. He informed her he just couldn't take it anymore and knew in advance that the interview he would be having with McGonagall would not go well but he had to try.

"I would like to think that someone would actually take my side and give me if not comfort, at least a chance to prove myself and to have the opportunity to make something of myself and show people that I am Harry, just Harry and not just the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One or whatever name of the week they are calling me."

Harry didn't know if it had been the newspaper article or something else that had caused McGonagall to be such a bitch to him. Then again, he had been right when he told her that she was the worst head of house and stood by and let all the slander, hurt and horrors happen for the six years he was here.

He had found out too late that she had never given him the information given to all Muggleborns especially when she knew that he had been raised as a Muggle. He did mention this little fact in the article as well as Hagrid being the one to "rescue him and introduce him to the Magical World. She was the last chance he was giving the Magical World and she had blown it.

When he went back to Andromeda's house he sent Kreacher with a letter to deliver to Hermione at Hogwarts. She would have already read the article yesterday and he had been surprised when she hadn't tried to owl him with either a "good job" or "what the hell were you thinking." Maybe she had apologized to the Weasleys on his behalf or something stupid in an attempt to smooth things over.

He knew she liked Ron, although why he would never know considering all the hurtful things he had said and done to her during the years. Even after the incident of the other day would she choose Ron, as a love interest over him as her real best friend? He would never know because as the letter would tell her, "he was done, finished, gone and never coming back to these 'freaks' who have used, abused, slandered and hurt me so, over and over again. He had "served his purpose and done his duty which he hadn't really 'owed' to these people, so goodbye to all the fools and the 'freaks' and may they all have the lives they truly deserve."

Hermione knew just what the word "freak" meant to Harry and for him to use it to describe wizards and witches showed his scorn for them. Harry advised her to leave Britain, perhaps go back to Australia and make her parents' decision easier, but either way she "SHOULD LEAVE BRITAIN AS NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE."

"Even though you are the most brilliant witch of your age and a war hero to boot, you will always be seen as just a "Muggleborn" and truly nothing more. Don't try to change it as it will kill you if not physically it will still kill your soul and you deserve to have a good life."

Once Kreacher returned, Harry had his trunk filled with all his worldly goods, or at least the ones he wanted, kissed and hugged Teddy and Andromeda goodbye and left to start his new life.

Ron was getting the fame he had always sought and with Percy acting as his manager, he was getting endorsements, book contracts and even speaking engagements. The money was rolling in. In fact, the day of the breaking of relations between Harry and the Weasleys, Molly was cooking one of her famous dinners as Percy had invited some "wheelers and dealers" over to discuss Ron's flourishing career. Percy said this dinner could make or break Ron's career, hence Molly sending her son over to get some expensive foods and lots and lots of expensive wines and liquors.

Due to the fight, the dinner had to be cancelled and hopefully rescheduled while Molly "straightened things out." But then the article appeared in the _Prophet_ and all hell broke loose. Molly had indeed complained to McGonagall demanding that if "that lying, bullying, cowardly, no-good _**bastard**_ showed up at Hogwarts, Minerva was to contact Molly immediately so she could get her hands on Harry Potter.

Harry would never know it, but this was the one time McGonagall had sided with and protected him. She had been stern and even cruel to the boy so that he would be forced to take refuge in becoming an Auror as Kingsley could protect him from the Weasleys' wrath.

Ginny was going to be doing her seventh year and it would be a disaster for the two of them to be in the school at the same time. Other than Arthur (who truly did like Harry) there were no other Weasleys working at the Ministry. Ron had already refused the Auror job as it would take too much time and effort to become an Auror and with all the endorsements and books deals, he would now be making real money until he decided to sign up with one of the Quidditch teams. Why should he risk his life at a dead end, unappreciated job (especially since the war was over) when the world was now his for the taking?

Yes, in her own cowardly way McGonagall had been trying to protect Harry, but per their usual history, she had failed miserably. Her indifference and cruelity to be kind had only driven the final nail in the coffin and Harry had left Britain for good.

The Weasleys would never let Harry get away with this. Percy enacted a quick damage control denying all of the things which had happened at Grimmauld Place. Harry had never mentioned the names of the other people who could act as witnesses as he didn't want to draw his former classmates' name through the mud and he hadn't been introduced to the sluts. Therefore it was his word against Ron's word.

Hermione had refused to side with Ron and "his version of what really happened" as Harry had told the truth. She had been too quick for Ron when he had drawn his wand and tried to actually cast the Imperious on her. It was then she decided to take Harry's advice.

She had left Ron stupefied and magically bound, and since she really hadn't unpacked, she simply wrote a letter to McGonagall advising her of what had really happened and what Ron had tried to do and said she decided to follow Harry's example and leave Britain. Therefore, she would not be returning to Hogwarts and Ron could be found lying in an alleyway outside of Diagon Alley if anybody wanted to retrieve him.

Hermione had used Muggle transportation to return to Australia and since nobody other than Harry had asked her if she had found her parents, she had lied to McGonagall saying her parents had died in a diving accident and she would now be starting over in another country as there was nothing left for her in Britain.

With the only two people who could take Veritaserum to prove they were telling the truth about everything now permanently out of the country, the Weasleys had a field day. Percy announced that "Ron will be writing a book telling the REAL story of what had gone on in Hogwarts during the years the Golden Trio were there and exactly what had REALLY HAPPENED on what "that lying coward Potter called the 'quest'."

If Harry had thought he had been slandered before, it was a good thing he wasn't around to read and hear what was being said about him now. However, he wouldn't have cared anyway as he knew from experience that nothing he ever said or ever did would win him any sympathy, let alone respect, and now he would be starting a new life.

All the Weasleys, McGonagall, his former classmates, the Order, the Ministry and all the sheepeoples in Magical Britain could go #*&#& &&* * themselves. He was out of there and would remain so.

He was wrong in some respects. McGonagall had been inconsolable when she found out that Harry had left. Hermione leaving in quick succession had been almost too much for her to bear. Neville, Luna and many of Harry's classmates were also stunned and sadden to hear about these events.

Anybody who knew Ron Weasley, who had listened to him brag and bellow for six years and who had witnessed his behavior since the end of the war knew that he was a lying weasel. But now there was nothing they could do except to grieve at Harry's loss and wish him well and to have a life in which he could finally be happy.


	2. Chapter 2 - Escape of the Pawn

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 2 – Escape of the Pawn

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 2 – Escape of the Pawn

It had taken Harry a year to find a home, catch up on Muggle studies, have the Dwarfs provide him with fake legal documents and school records and a plausible identity and then to start attending University. He was going to be a doctor. He had always had the brains, the ability and the drive to succeed in his studies but between the Dursleys, Dumbledore's manipulations, Ron dragging him down and Hermione making him almost totally dependent on her, he had not applied himself. Having an insane Dark Lord after you didn't help either.

He had settled in, his health had improved and he had even made friends. None of them were close friends but he just could not let himself take that risk of closeness. Hopefully it would change in the future, but as it stood now, he was much happier than he had ever been in his life and he actually now had hope, something he had never had in his past life.

Although he had a wand he didn't use his magic much. His house was not warded although it did have early warning charms on it and there was always Kreacher and his "assistant" Floody, a young elf for Kreacher to properly train for when the older elf would eventually be joining his ancestors.

The basement had been warded with protection charms as once a week, if he wasn't too busy with his mundane life, Harry would practice defense and even brew the odd potion or two. He subscribed to several magical journals to keep up with the improvements made in magic. These journals originated mostly in North and South America and Asia as Britain still insisted on living in the dark ages and any advancement was seen as "dark magic" or whatever nonsense the Ministry called it.

Harry did love his magic and would never give it up completely. He just didn't want to be tracked down by anyone, so he had only used it when necessary while living in Ireland. When he went on holiday it was to other countries and as far away from Britain as possible. He would then freely use his magic especially when taking the odd seminar.

He loved to travel and see the world. He lived modestly with his small house and garden, car and motorcycle his only indulgences. He did send money to Andromeda to use for Teddy's education and wrote the occasional letter sent via Floody for safety reasons. They didn't know where he was but Winky could find him in an emergency.

When he had first left the one thing he had asked Andromeda was to never mention what was happening in Magical Britain. He simply didn't want to know what any of his former friends, classmates, Order members, the Ministry and especially anyone connected with Hogwarts were doing or what was happening to them. He simply didn't care.

Teddy would be attending a Muggle primary school until it was time for him to attend Hogwarts. Harry did offer to pay extra for Teddy's education if Andromeda allowed him to go to another school. Andromeda would be debating the pros and cons of Teddy's education up to when it was time to make the actual decision.

There was the heritage and tradition which Hogwarts offered but there was also the bigotry, cruelty and house rivalries which existed at the school. From what Andromeda said despite McGonagall's best efforts, other than a few more courses being offered, things were still the same at Hogwarts.

No one had heard from Hermione.

Roddy had started his new life by going to a muggle clinic in Switzerland. He had his scar covered by muggle plastic surgery and had laser surgery done on his eyes. He had had a full physical done and after the doctor recovered from his shock, he was given a course of diet and exercise to follow. He knew he would eventually have to go to a magical healer to fully recover but he wouldn't do it for a while until things cooled down.

He had bought a new custom made wand as for some reason he felt something was wrong with his holly wand. His wand had been part of him since his entrance to the Magical World and it represented all the bad things which had happened to him. "A new wand for a new life" he had said to himself.

He stocked up on nutrient potions as well as some others he thought would help him. He bought a new magical trunk with three expandable sections and stocked it with some interesting and useful books, new potion supplies and a few other things. He was planning not to be going to a magical environment for a while so he wanted to be prepared in case of an emergency.

Harry had told Andromeda that he had managed to empty his trust vault just before going on the 'quest' and she had the good manners not to press how much had been in it and how much of it he had spent, which would have been Hermione's first questions.

The trust vault still had a tidy sum left as Dumbles had been raiding the main Potter vault and hadn't needed to help himself to Harry's trust. Maybe he felt guilty and thought the boy should have something before he was killed as who knew how long it would take Dumbledore to find the Horcruxes so that Harry could finally die and Voldemort be defeated.

Harry had used some of it for the 'quest' and had hid the rest of it in a place where nobody would ever look. It was buried (by elf magic) eight feet under the shed in the Dursleys' back yard courtesy of Dobby. Just before Grimmauld Place had been compromised, Kreacher had told Harry about the hidden stash of gold the Blacks kept at their house. Apparently even Sirius didn't know about it. The gold was buried deep in the bowels of the house and protected in a secret room. Even though the house was in lock down mode, Kreacher and Harry could always sneak back and retrieve it.

Then there was the money which had regularly "disappeared" from Harry's Black vault. Harry had called Dobby once again to take money out every month starting in his sixth year. Dobby would then glamour himself, have the money changed into Muggle money and deposited in a Muggle bank account under Harry's fictitious name. After fifth year Harry had seriously considered fleeing the magical world but of course his brave (and stupid) sense of duty prevented him from doing so – as well as those "special charms" Dumbles had placed on him.

Harry had finally found out the name of his mother's parents and used his grandfather's name in reversed so that no one would be suspicious. Snape knew his Mum's parents and probably that her father's name was Owen R. Evans. He wouldn't be so foolish as to use Evans in any part of a name as that would be a dead give-a-way if he went into hiding, but Rodrick Owens shouldn't attract even Snape's notice had he been still alive and definitely not Dumbledore, Order members or Hermione and Ron as they didn't know his relatives' name and even Hermione had never bothered to ask.

Also, because he knew that Ron would enter the Chamber of Secrets at the first opportunity to claim the very valuable basilisk corpse, as soon as Harry had a moment to himself he had ran to the Chamber and changed the password. Despite losing the Horcrux, he was still able to use parsel and he knew he would need access to the Chamber and the corpse in the near future. He also knew that Ron thought Harry (dumb dork that he was) would forget about the great snake and not know the true value of it.

Ron did exactly that the very next day and took Bill to the entrance in Myrtle's loo so they could retrieve the snake as soon as possible. But try as he might, the Chamber wouldn't open. He wanted Bill to break open the Chamber saying "Dumbass (one of his nicknames for Harry) will just think it was damaged during the fight. When you see the size of that snake, you will be amazed and can calculate the value. I…ah we deserve that money for all of the danger Dumbass put us through and…Mum said we should get it."

However, none of them knew that the entrance had been spelled by Salazar so that only a parsel speaker could open the Chamber and change the password. Harry had only taught Ron the word "open" – which he couldn't get right until Harry (secretly so as not to hurt his feelings) spelled him to pronounce it correctly. As the password was changed, the defense charm went into action. Poor Bill, who hadn't expected it, was thrown backwards by the force of the charm which blasted fire at the non-parsel speaker who was trying to spell the door open.

Ron also was felled by the blast (karma) but both wizards were saved when Flitwick, who had been suspicious that they were up to something, had followed them and quickly managed to put out the fire and then levitated them to the Infirmary to heal the burns and the broken bones they suffered. Had he not been there, both Weasleys would have been dead.

Flitwick then informed Harry what had happened to "warn him" not to try to access the Chamber. Harry thanked him and as soon as he could he called Kreacher and then they both entered the Chamber. He shrunk the great reptile and placed it in a magicked box and had Kreacher pop him out of the Chamber and then ordered him to take it to Grimmauld and to "hide it carefully where no one can find it."

So Roddy had four sources of income hidden away. He also tested a theory of his. Goblin galleons were pure gold. He carefully checked for charms, spells and curses and couldn't find one on the coin. He asked Kreacher to check and the elf hadn't found any. He then asked why wizards just didn't melt down the gold which was worth more on the Muggle market. Kreacher didn't know and while Roddy had been recovering from his surgeries, the elf had made several inquiries.

"The Goblins made galleons from gold when gold was not worth so much in the Muggle world." "I know the price of gold goes up and down in the Muggle world depending on the economy," Harry said, "but I know that gold is worth a lot right now in the current market, so why can't we melt it down and sell it to Muggles?"

"That is easy," replied Kreacher, "the Goblins use a special Goblin charm to prevent wizards from melting galleons down, but they can remove the charm when prices in the Muggle world are high, melt the gold down and sell it to make money. The Goblins always have a lot of gold on hand as they mine some and are always using bad means to get more – like robbing old tombs in Egypt and other places."

"Too bad we don't know that charm as I would really like to put most of my money in a Muggle bank but I would have to go through the Goblins to do so and they might find me out." "Master Harry could go do banking with the Dwarfs," said Kreacher.

Once again there was something about the Magical World that Harry didn't know about. The Dwarfs, besides being the best builders of castles, fortifications and housing in the Magical World, were also the Goblins' chief rival in banking and finance.

The Goblins had had a banking monopoly in Britain for centuries. The Dwarfs were making inroads in Continental Europe. They traded mostly in Muggle currencies and had good connections with the Muggle banking industry. Harry looked into this and found that the Dwarfs would give him a much better exchange rate for his galleons because the Dwarfs had their own special magic to counteract the Goblins' magic. Their only difficulty was acquiring galleons as the Goblins refused to trade with the Dwarfs and most wizards (at least in Britain) didn't deal much with Muggle money and would never stoop to do business with Dwarfs.

Another factor was if the Goblins found out a wizard was supplying a large amount of galleons to the Dwarfs, they would be banned from all Gringotts offices as well as having their vaults confiscated. This couldn't hurt Harry anymore as the Goblins had already stolen everything he had left in their bank.

Harry now had most of his loose cash converted into various Muggle currencies and a solid banking relationship with the Dwarfs and with Muggle banks. This would facilitate his entrance into the Muggle World as the Goblins couldn't track him. He was still in the process of trying to get his health back and to establish his identity and start his Muggle education.

When Harry had left Andromeda's house he told her he would not be contacting her until he was settled. If she didn't know where he was she could tell anybody. She was only to tell anyone who would ask that he just came to say goodbye and if he ever made any money he would pay for Teddy's education. He did give her a gift of sorts to help her with Teddy.

Apparently Dobby and Winky had gotten married elf-style and Winky had given birth to twin girls. Harry felt responsible for Dobby's death and had bonded with Winky so that she and her babies could be part of a family. She was to stay at Hogwarts until Harry had found a permanent home.

He had sent her to Andromeda to help out and when Harry decided to contact Andromeda, he would simply call Winky. Winky and her girls were always to remain hidden from everybody except Andromeda and Teddy for safety sake and so no one could associate her with Harry or discover their means of communication. Winky would answer Harry's call and then report what was going on to Harry and Harry could send a message, letter or present to Andromeda and Teddy.

With that arrangement made, he went off to start his new life.


	3. Chapter 3 - Weasleys' Revenge

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 3 – Weasleys' Revenge

It had taken Harry a month to get settled concerning the surgeries and getting the banking details worked out. He had no desire to hear anything concerning Britain and hadn't even read another magical newspaper, so it was the first time he called for Winky that he received the bad news – the very bad news.

It seemed the Weasleys took very great offense at being exposed and were fighting back – dirty. Ron vehemently denied everything. A "source close to Ron," who wished to remain anonymous for safety sake (thus insinuating that Harry was going to harm him), had told the _Prophet_ that he had personally seen Ron swear on his life and magic that everything Harry had said in the article, especially the day at Grimmauld Place, had been a lie and he could provide witnesses to prove it.

In an exclusive interview with Rita Skeeter, Ron, with Percy at his side, told more of "the truth" about his relationship with Potter and that "bitch of a Mudblood who was in cahoots with that coward because she thought he would marry her and make her rich."

On occasion Percy would interrupt the interview when Ron was too upset to talk about (or, in reality, too stupid to say it in a believable way). "Hermione Granger also 'conveniently disappeared' the same time as Potter, so doesn't that tell you something?"

Percy continued his monologue despite Rita's efforts to get Ron to say more. Rita was no fool as she knew Ron Weasley all too well and also knew Percy from his time at the Ministry. However, since she wanted a really juicy story as well as revenge for Potter not giving his interview to her, she would just accurately report everything Percy said.

The Weasleys had enough venom in their speeches to poison a basilisk and that was without the Weasley Matriarch putting in her two knuts. Rita was grateful that Molly wasn't there taking over the interview as even her quick quill poison pen couldn't write fast enough to keep up with the vicious harassment Molly Weasley would have been giving.

When the article came out two days later Rita's editor refused to print it before he personally edited it (much to Rita's anger). It wasn't as bad as it would have been had Rita just wrote what was said, but it was still bad.

After interviewing Harry Potter, the editor didn't believe anything the Weasleys had said, but as both Potter and Granger were gone and supposedly not coming back, there would be no interviews in defense. Selling newspapers was what had always been the main aim of the _Daily Prophet_ and sell papers this interview would.

Even the Ministry had been silent after the Potter interview had come out. That translated into "it's all a bunch of lies but if Potter won't defend himself we won't fight for him either and let people believe what they will."

The editor knew that since Potter had "served his purpose and killed the Dark Lord" they were all safe. Letting the Goblins rob the kid blind and the Ministry not lifting one finger to counter that injustice spoke volumes. No doubt the Ministry had received some kickbacks for not doing anything to help Potter.

The editor knew that what Dumbledore had done concerning the Potter parents' Will was illegal and immoral but again, palms must have been greased and the money was used to finance Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix and it sounded like something that James Potter would do. Stupid, foolish, inconsiderate towards Harry and utterly reprehensible, but exactly the type of thing he would do.

The editor, as well as anyone else with a brain, could not attribute any worthwhile contributions the Order had really made, especially in the last war. How much of that money had been frittered away or worse, no one would ever know.

As the current Minister of Magic was known for being one of the "inner circle of the Order of the Phoenix" the editor would not be surprised if some of that money, which was not being used to rebuild Hogwarts, had made its way into the Ministry coffers, not as bribes as it would have been in Fudge's day, but to rebuild and stabilize the Ministry, which was in financial collapse.

The Ministry would get "their cut" to not defend the boy and would rationalize this decision by giving the boy a job as an Auror whether he wanted it or not, thereby absolving their conscious. That was the way things always had and would work in Magical Britain.

Thus, the editor toned down the article, it would still sell papers and hopefully it would all blow over in a few weeks.

Ron Weasley had been stupid enough to demand that Potter "face me like a wizard on the field of honor." Weasley had challenged Potter to a wizard duel - to the death – so that Ron could avenge the slur against the Noble and Ancient House of Weasley (which it wasn't it was just a poor Pureblood family) and if "that coward doesn't show up in front of Gringotts Bank in two days, it means he forfeits the duel and will be cast out of the Magical World forever as the lying, sniveling, worthless coward that he is and VICTORY SHALL BE MINE."

The editor couldn't believe the stupid kid said such a thing but Rita confirmed Ron had said exactly that. There was no way the duel would happen as it was confirmed that Potter had left for parts unknown a few days before and it only gave him a day to find out and return to Britain to fight the duel, which would never happen because he wouldn't know anything about it in that time period and maybe never know – or care.

So Ron Weasley was in no danger of having to fight the duel and could claim a victory and continue telling his lies and slander against his once "best mate" and whether Magical Britain believed any of his twaddle, well that was their choice.

In other words, once again it was business as usual.


	4. Chapter 4 - Getting Settled

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 4 – Getting Settled

In the past seven years, it had taken Roddy four to find the peace he now had. That peace hadn't been easy. There seemed a time when he thought he would never find peace or happiness. He had had to leave Ireland despite having fallen in love with the country, and once again it was all due to pompous, selfish people trying to control him and his life.

He had entered university and enjoyed it. He had a dual major – pre-med and history. Despite Binns' class, he did like history and thought he might combine his medical studies to be used in archeological pursuits. Although he thought he would make a good doctor, it might not work out if he was unable to cope with losing patients, breaking bad news to families, guilt for "not being able to save a patient" or if he would in fact be a good doctor. He constantly fought the nasty voices of his relatives in his head telling him how worthless, freaky and unlovable he was, despite knowing they were wrong.

If these scenarios turned out to be true, he could always switch to researching and/or teaching medical history or go into archeology and use his medical knowledge for carbon dating, bone identification or general medical research. If he could handle the stress of the potential guilt involved in practicing medicine then he would just have a nice hobby to enjoy.

When Harry Potter, in his new persona, had finally gone for magical medical treatment, it had been nearly two years. He had gone to the U.S. and entered a magical facility to have several of his bones vanished and regrown. As an injured child, Harry had used the magic he didn't know he possessed to heal the broken bones he had received courtesy of the Dursleys.

They had healed enough for him to function, but since he was entering medicine he needed to be fully healed. The damage the Dursleys had done to him had caused his fingers to not have the proper elasticity needed for most things, which was one of the reasons his handwriting had always been so abominable. To become a doctor he needed to have more flexibility. He had also become a runner and was on the university track team.

It had been a painful two weeks between the bone vanishing, the re-growing with skel-grow and the therapy training he had to endure and continue with once he was discharged. A complete magical physical was done on him and he found out that in the past he had had several charms placed on him directed to certain individuals. The charms were mostly gone as they were the type which had to be constantly renewed and apparently the main castor had stopped applying them around the time of Dumbledore's death.

The charms had been very powerful loyalty charms, guilt charms, forgetfulness, lack of concentration and even some powerful hate spells. At this point in time it was impossible to determine who these charms were directed to or against. It didn't help matters that it was Roddy Owens who was the patient and not Harry Potter as certain spells could be cast if Roddy Owens could provide names of the potential castors and/or recipients. Much to his disgust Harry Potter could but Roddy Owens couldn't hazard a guess. But this had explained much.

Basically Roddy had been happy. He enjoyed his classes, could finally do his best at his studies and Hermione would have been surprised to find that he was actually at the top of his class despite having two majors. He loved running for its own sake.

He had lost flying, but he found that when not having to run for his life from Dudley and his gang and the horrors he had endured in Magical Britain, he actually enjoyed it. He didn't feel as free as when he was flying but when he let himself go, thought of nothing and just ran, he felt a type of freedom which would serve his purpose for the moment. But things were too good to be true or to last.

He had made some friends, although he knew he would never trust anybody as he once had. He dated on occasion, attended parties, sport games and the occasional concert. He learned to dance a bit, drank moderately and just tried to fit in. He had the reputation as a friendly geek and people usually liked him. Then came the problems of being a 'nice guy.'

Since he usually drank no more than two beers before switching to soda or water, he was always sober when it was time to go home. This led to some of his "friends" to ask him to be the designated driver. Roddy didn't mind this as drinking wasn't important to him and he would rather see his "friends" arrive home safe.

The jocks of the university's teams eventually took advantage of his good nature and since Roddy had a used minivan which could fit several people in it, he ended up being a chauffeur and caretaker more often than a participant in the fun.

There were times he wanted to leave the party but his "friends" did not and he was told he couldn't leave until they wanted to. Since he was trying to fit in he did put up with it for a while, but the attitude of his "friends" and the friends they brought along set off signals that he was once again being used and his "friends" didn't really care for him.

Soon he began to decline invitations to parties and only went to those that he couldn't get out of but he never enjoyed them. By his second year it had become annoying and he refused to attend the "social events" saying he had to keep up with his school work. He was called a killjoy, a nerd, queer and a lot of other unkind names simply because his idea of a good time was not getting piss assed drunk or watching others get that way.

Because he was a "gentleman" when he went on dates, he started to get the reputation as "not liking girls" or "being impotent" and whatever else a frustrated, drunken, jealous girl decided to call him. And he absolutely, positively refused to do drugs of any kind, which only brought on more derision. At last he decided it wasn't worth it so he basically stopped socializing.

He still had his running and he enjoyed his classes so that kept his spirits up. He had other interests and hobbies and during his year before starting university, Roddy had taken Latin lessons and became rather fluent in it.

He started learning French and German on the sly and would eventually spend his summer holiday in France or a German speaking country and taking emersion courses to get proficient. It seemed he had a talent for languages. He joined the language club and made friends with non-drinking, non-drugging nerds much like himself and was once again happy.

Then in his third year, the football coach noticed him playing in a friendly game of football.* Some of his former mates were not all bad and he would join them in kicking the ball around at least once a week. His university's football team was not strong and after some of the better players graduated they just couldn't find players good enough to build a strong team.

Although he was the best runner on his team, football was considered "the sport" and he was informed – not asked – that he was now a member of the football team. Although Roddy liked football to play as a social experience, he didn't want to give up his running and he needed to keep working hard to get the excellent grades he needed for his future plans.

Therefore it was a shocked football coach who found out that Roddy Owens had declined to be on the team. Now in the world of sports, a coach is a "god" and most students are thrilled and thankful to even make a team. To be put on a team without having to try out was almost unheard of but for someone to refuse to join a team – well something like that NEVER HAPPENED.

"Thank you very much for the opportunity, sir," a very polite Roddy Owens had said to the coach, "But I am already on the track team and have a double major. I can only do one sport and track is my sport of choice."

At the next track practice, the track coach assembled everyone and announced team cuts. Roddy was the only one to be thrown off the team as "there were more talented people already on the team, and there was some new talent that was soon to be joining up."

To their credit, some of Roddy's teammates jumped to his defense saying he was the team's best runner. Unfortunately, the coach's word was law and Roddy was told to leave. The coach did catch up with him later, saying "I know you are disappointed at being cut. You were good but now it is time for others to have their chance to shine. Besides, now you can join the football team." He smiled at him while Roddy just stared back in shock.

It took a lot out of the coach to smile while looking at his best runner and seeing the look on his face. He didn't want to throw him off the team – hell there were times when _he was the team – its heart and soul -_ and he had no one better than Roddy Owens. But the football team came first and what the football team wanted it got. All that remained for him to do was to tell him the practice times for the football team and wish him well.

Roddy would never show up for football practice as he was through with sports at this university. It was almost like Hogwarts or the Ministry all over again. If the powers that be at school or in the government decided that Harry would do what they wanted him to do and to hell with what Harry wanted or wished for, even if it wouldn't hurt anything and especially if it would make him happy, well then too bad for Harry Potter. He would do as he was told and that was the end of that. But he was not Harry Potter any more he was Roddy Owens who would not be bullied.

When he refused to join the football team he was called into the Proctor's office "to have a chat" or what was not so subtle pressure and told "Don't waste your talent, join the football team since you were thrown out of track, you need some school activity and…." The Proctor then went on to tell him of all the advantages he would obtain by being a "football star" and how he "should do his duty to the university and…." And that was all Roddy Owens needed to hear - _ **"he should do his duty"**_ \- before he arose from the chair and walked out of the Proctor's office. He did pause as he opened the door to inform the Proctor that he would finish out this term and would be transferring to another school, where or when he couldn't say, just that he would be leaving.

"My grades will be next," Roddy thought, "it will be just like Snape all over again – unfair marking and ruining my future in an attempt to force me to conform to their wishes."

Nobody at the university could believe that the talented student would leave over something _**as innocent**_ as being drafted (albeit against his will) to play on the football team. It just didn't make sense. But then again none of them had ever been Harry Potter.

Roddy spent the rest of term studying and completing his assignments to the best of his ability. He also kept copies of his work to show to other schools just in case he would be sabotaged. One could say Roddy was being a bit paranoid, but Harry Potter was not as he knew just how petty people could be when they didn't get their way.

Actually the football coach had tried to get Roddy in trouble academically, but the Professors were made of sterner stuff and were of a better moral fiber than the Hogwarts teachers had been. They grieved at the loss of an excellent student and would not see him harmed further.

It would seem to be poetic justice that the track team lost all their events for the entire year and the football team would not win a single game for the next three years or at least until the coach had left for another school. It was almost as if the teams were under a curse if someone believed in such a thing. Neither Harry Potter nor Roddy Owens would stoop to do such a thing, but a certain house elf named Kreacher would and his master never found out.

Just as Roddy was leaving Ireland, he started to hear "the Voice." It was a gentle Voice and Roddy thought it was his conscious or some kind of inner strength he had tapped into. It usually gave good advice or comfort and since Voldemort was finally and irrevocably gone, he did not worry and almost looked forward to its whispering encouragement.

Roddy ended up going to a university in Germany for his undergraduate work and staying to obtain a Master's in history. He did it in record time and was well thought of by his professors. There was a large magical community in Germany and he made discrete visits to pick up books.

He had started studying runes when he lived in Ireland and had continued throughout his time in Germany and even took a course in runes for his Muggle history studies. He could probably get a magical mastery in the subject, but he was still hesitant about contacting any magical ministry to take the exam.

Then one day the Voice whispered "You don't need a certificate saying you are a Master, when you already know you are one. A true Slytherin hides his real talents so that his enemies underestimate him."

That had made sense. After all, he had no intention about going back to the Magical World as he was of age and still a practicing wizard and did not need the sanctions or permission of any official Ministry of Magic to live his life or practice his magic. He would be a practicing wizard who lived, studied and worked in the Muggle World and that suited him.

He still wanted to study medicine and eventually ended up attending the University of Zurich. He was now fluent not only in Latin, French, German, and Italian, but had started learning Russian and was debating whether to add Japanese or Chinese as his next language.

He dedicated himself to learning as whether in the Muggle or Magical World "all knowledge was power" and he was free to study whatever he wanted and was capable of learning.

He had "acquaintances" rather than friends and ran for his personal pleasure rather than joining a school team. His talent had been noted and several of his fellow students had tried to convince him to join but he always refused. He had found a place of safety to begin flying again and he flew whenever he had the opportunity or had some serious thinking to do. With the exception of Kreacher and Floody and to some extent Winky, he was alone, but he was, if not happy, at least at peace.

*a/k/a Soccer


	5. Chapter 5 - The Fate of Others

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 5 – The Fate of Others

About the time of Harry's 25th birthday, Kreacher's health started failing. It was then that Harry/Roddy found out that house elves had no healers other than each other. They were healthier than wizards and since they were usually confined to the wizard's home they rarely were exposed to diseases.

But no entity lives forever (just ask Voldemort) and when he felt himself fading, Kreacher suggested that they return to the House of Black to retrieve the hidden gold, the heirlooms that hadn't been stolen or thrown out by the Weasley purges, the library and anything else of value.

During a holiday break, Harry, Kreacher, Floody and Winky entered the House of Black for what might be the last time. The wards still held as even Bill Weasley hadn't been able to break them and after Harry left Kingsley had felt guilty and forbade Bill from trying under threat of arrest.

Molly Weasley had protested as the unlimited pantry might still be working and she knew that there was still Goblin made silver at the house. But Fleur had made Bill chose – ignoring a direct order by the Minister of Magic because his mother told him to or her. She would take their soon-to-be-born-child and go back to France if Bill tried to break into Grimmauld Place again and SHE MEANT IT. Molly had been furious when Bill chose his wife over "duty to his family" so Bill had asked the Goblins for a transfer and within a month Bill and the pregnant Fleur left Britain for a new assignment. Bill requested that when his mother asked where he was sent, that the Goblins wouldn't tell her.

It also might have helped that Harry had strengthen them by using parsel tongue for enhancement. Everyone had thought that Harry had lost the ability to speak the language since Dumbledore had said it was due to Voldemort making Harry a Horcrux that the boy had the ability to speak that wicked tongue. Since Harry was no longer a Horcrux and Voldemort was dead then "according-to-he-who-was-never-wrong" Harry would, of course, lose the ability to speak to serpents.

Apparently he had been wrong for once (yeah for once!) as Harry still could speak that language. Channeling his true Slytherin side, he told no one and no one asked as "Dumbledore couldn't be wrong about something like this."

Harry had advised Andromeda to start a Muggle bank account in Teddy's name considering Harry's history with the Goblins. "You never know if they will decide I still owe them more money and decide to confiscate Teddy's account due to some Goblin law if they find out I sent the kid money. I know it sounds paranoid, but based on my life…."

Andromeda had done so and at least once a year Harry gave Winky a certified check for Andromeda to add to the boy's account. After Harry brought the money to the Dwarfs for conversion, he had sent Andromeda a certified check in an amount sufficient to finance Teddy's education. With the other sums Harry had sent over the years, this should take care of not only Teddy's magical education at Hogwarts (or hopefully Beauxbatons or somewhere else) but also any higher Muggle university education Teddy might decide to pursue.

Kreacher had found several photo albums of the Black family going back generations and these also were taken to Andromeda as well as a few pieces of jewelry and all the silver that Mundungus (and others) hadn't managed "to acquire."

A lady's antique writing desk and dressing bureau which were still in good condition and no doubt worth a considerable sum were also added to the bottomless bag Winky was filling as well as some good carpets that were in usable condition. Harry also threw in the Black Family Tapestry with the names of Andromeda, Nymphadora and even Sirius restored.

Harry had written a letter addressed to both Andromeda and Teddy. In the letter he told them that he was still trying to complete his education and had traveled around a lot looking for not only peace but a place that he could truly call home. He missed them but could not return to Britain due to the prejudice, bureaucracy, incompetence and indifference still rampant in the country.

"Perhaps someday when I finish school and actually get a permanent job, I can send for you both, but until that happens, it is not safe for any of us to meet or be in contact other than what we have. I hope Teddy will consider going to another school other than Hogwarts for reasons that Andromeda well knows."

"In closing, by the time Winky brings you the letter and the bag, I will have finished keying you both into the wards so if you ever need a place to hide or even live in, your ancestral home is available. Winky and the girls should have a wonderful time as this place is filthy and needs a lot of cleaning."

After Harry and his elves had everything they needed they left the wards and port keyed to France and from there (just in case they were being tracked) they took several apparation jumps home. Winky then left bringing the bag and letter to Andromeda and Teddy. Other than them, no one knew that Harry had come and gone.

Ron's moments of glory had lasted less than a year. He had "won" the duel by default and crowed his victory. He threw a lavish party to celebrate which he had wanted to hold in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. Considering the school was still ruined in many places and the fact that McGonagall told him no…well let's just say she told him what she thought about of "his victory."

He had planned on using the Hogwarts elves and kitchen (with all the donated food which had been pouring in for the rebuilding workers) and hoping that his friends would be providing the liquid refreshments. Nobody had volunteered but Percy had convinced him to use his own money to fund the party as he had just signed another lucrative endorsement and could well afford paying for the spread.

A large hall was rented to facilitate the onslaught of all of "Ron's many friends and well-wishers" and a lot of food and drink was purchased. It was his mother who oversaw the preparation of the food as anything involving food was her specialty.

If the number of people who had shown up, the number of reporters and photographers begging for interviews and snapping pictures and the amount of food and booze provided indicated the party was a success then the party was a success. However, most of the people which Percy had wanted to attend didn't come.

The place was filled with Ron's "new friends" and the likes of Mundungus Fletcher and his ilk with only a few respectable people from the Ministry bothering to show up. Only Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Lavender Brown and the sluts showed up. Parvati's sister Padma had threatened to disown her sister if she went especially since Parvati had come home the day of the breakup and had told her sister and the rest of the Patils what had really happened.

A few other Hogwarts upper years had come mainly out of curiosity and because they knew there was going to be a lot of free food and booze. Percy did most of the talking and handling of the interviews.

Ron ate like there was no tomorrow (as he was paying for it after all) and now strangers were treated (or disgusted by) the sight of Ron Weasley eating. People who didn't know him had been amazed at just how much food he could put away at one sitting and some feared that despite the quantity displayed the food would run out. It was going okay until Ron started drinking and all hell broke loose.

Fortunately Percy had people watching out for Ron and with a careful sleeping charm administered he was first yawning, then excusing himself to hit the loo and finally was being dragged away to sleep it off, so little damage control was needed.

Although McGonagall had refused to allow Hogwarts to be used for Ron's party, Molly did manage to commandeer several house elves and even Hogwarts dishes and cutlery for the party's use behind McGonagall's back. The poor Headmistress was very overworked and greatly overstressed and she didn't notice or even hear about this unauthorized "borrowing" until it made the society page of the _Prophet_ and somebody alerted her to the article.

After determining that all the elves and Hogwarts property had been returned and accounted for, McGonagall banned any and all Weasleys from Hogwarts except for Ginny Weasley, but once she finished her seventh year she would also be banned. Just to be thorough, Ginny was spelled by Flitwick to only be able to take her personal property out of the school and nothing else.

Flitwick advised Minerva that the wards of the school should be changed to allow only personal property to be removed as after the rebuilding was finished an inventory had been done to see what was needed, such as books, linens, food supplies, etc. as much had been destroyed. Unfortunately, much had also "disappeared" from parts of the school that were not damaged, but most especially rare books (especially from the restricted section of the library), the odd tapestry, paintings (such as those painted by famous artists who were wizards such as Leonardo Da Vinci) and ALL of the trophies in the trophy room as some were valuable (such as the award given to Tom Riddle for services to the school) and all were made of silver so some probably found their way to a melting pot.

Between the two book deals and endorsements, Ron made a lot of money for about a year. He also spent a lot of money despite Percy's advice and his mother's careful watch. Most of the money was wasted on clothes, booze, women, new brooms and gifts, mostly jewelry, for his mother and sister. Ron had bought himself two gaudy rings and lost them the first week. He then bought three more and somehow they would disappear before the month was out. He remembered wearing them when going out to pick up women and somehow they were gone by the time he staggered back to the Burrow reeking of alcohol and sex.

His mother refused to allow him to get his own place as she was not going to cook and clean for him there. Besides no one would pamper him like his mother would and why should he waste his hard earning money paying rent.

Eventually he was signed by the Chudley Cannons as a reserve keeper but rarely got to play as he just wasn't good enough and the Cannons had only hired him for the publicity. Eventually he was given a job as an assistant coach never really having had a playing career. He did, however, have to sign a contract with a morals clause as his conduct had become a public scandal.

The money from the books hadn't lasted long and the endorsement dried up quickly as the novelty of Ron Weasley wore off. Now the only pictures of him which appeared in the newspapers showed him being thrown out of seedy pubs or being slapped by irate witches who he had tried unsuccessfully to flirt with.

It had been his mother screaming at him to clean up his act as the assistant coach position with the Cannons was his last chance. "Just one small 'incident' is all that is needed to get rid of you – just one. If that happens you will be working with George at the shop – if he'll have you."

It was all gone. Less than a year and it was all over. He didn't know how it had happened only that somehow it was Potter's fault and maybe even Granger's but they were both gone and never coming back so he couldn't get his revenge. But then, some people never learn, do they?

When Harry had lost his money, Ginny had lost interest in him. He still had his fame and he could have used that to gain endorsements, have books ghost-written that would make a fortune and even play Quidditch professionally, which was a very lucrative career.

Percy had made a list of many money-making schemes – all of them legitimate, of course, as this was Percy after all. But Harry refused to consider any of them. He had always hated his fame and despite Ginny's pleading, then demanding that he take advantage of it while he could, he just wouldn't and told her he would never change his mind. "I have always been used to doing without money so why change now?"

Ginny and Molly Weasley had not been happy with that statement and as much as Ginny had sworn she truly loved him for himself and Molly telling everybody for the past seven years that she "considered Harry her seventh son," they started dropping him. Harry might be content with being poor, but not Ginny and she was actively looking for a rich boyfriend.

Ginny had married Draco Malfoy. Percy had arranged it all. With the exception of Lucius having to serve two years in Azkaban and the paying of a very large fine, the Malfoys still had their luxurious manor and a lot of their fortune left.

Lucius originally had a ten year sentence but with money changing hands and some backroom dealing, he had gotten out early on condition that his family obtain a "sponsor of impeccable reputation." In other words if Draco were to marry Ginny Weasley, a girl from a family who served in what was now called the "Inner Circle" of Dumbledore's Order of the Phoenix, it would serve to show the world that the Malfoys had mended their ways.

No one had been happy at that suggestion – at first. Malfoys hated Weasleys that was a given as well as a tradition. However, the girl was a Pureblood, pretty (although not as "incredibly beautiful" as Molly constantly bragged) and from a very fertile family.

The Weasleys, other than Percy, had all been against it, especially Ron. However, Ron was not living up to the expectations everyone had had of him, so Percy finally persuaded his mother to see the sensible side of things.

Ginny would be marrying into great wealth. She would have every material thing she wanted. The Malfoys would have to treat her well and fairly as their reputations, and very lives, would depend on it. Ginny would pop out the requisite heir, preferably two, and then could live as she chose as long as she was discrete. Percy had arranged for a bride price to be given to his parents. There was much the Weasleys could do with 100,000 galleons and the possibility of more to trickle down to the family in the future.

Percy had gone back to wanting a career in politics. With the monetary backing of the Malfoys, his chances would improve greatly. Arthur Weasley was still respected in Britain and Percy had "possibilities" so he had struck while the family's star was still in ascendance. Despite all his hard work and warnings, it was clear to Percy that Ron would blow it all sooner rather than later and he feared what Ginny was capable of doing that would ruin her reputation and chances.

Lucius was willing to do anything to get out of Azkaban and stay out. The girl was a _healthy probably very fertile_ _Pureblood_ after all he kept telling himself every time he had to meet with the Weasley parents and listen to Molly's screeching voice.

Narcissa was furious, but having been raised not only as a Black but as the perfect Pureblood heiress, prevented her from showing her true emotions. The girl was pretty enough, but was common and without the social graces or personality necessary to conduct herself as a proper Pureblood wife in even a lessor family let alone in a family such as the Malfoys.

She had heard all the gossip concerning the girl. Her reputation at Hogwarts was….varied. She was intelligent but not tactful; she showed a friendly persona but could switch to cruelty within seconds; she was an adequately powerful witch and had fought well, but then again Potter himself had instructed her. Otherwise she was known only for being an expert at one rather vulgar curse.

She would need so much training before she could be allowed out to attend the sort of social functions that the Malfoys regularly attended. However, from what Narcissa witnessed, the girl would not be willing to learn any of the niceties needed and would probably rebel when told to she had to learn.

She played Quidditch adequately and thought herself to be capable and talented enough to be a professional player. Granted, her brother the dragon handler could have easily gone professional but instead had escaped to Romania and the risk of working with dragons instead of staying home and putting up with his mother. Smart man. The eldest son had done the same thing apprenticing to the Goblins as a curse breaker and requesting to be posted out of Britain.

What Narcissa really hated was the fact that the ultimately vulgar, crude, loud mouthed, low-class, harridan which was Molly Weasley would be her precious son's mother-in-law. The Malfoys would be forced to not only acknowledge the relationship but, on the most important occasions, publically associate with the entire loutish family. They would have to be invited to their Manor.

Narcissa had survived Lucius' father, she had politely and efficiently served the Dark Lord when he had made his headquarters in their home, she had survived three miscarriages, family tragedy and much sorrow in her life but she knew in her heart that THERE WAS NO WAY SHE WOULD SURVIVE PUTTING UP WITH MOLLY WEASLEY.

The Malfoys might be in a corner due to Lucius and his father's political mistakes, but Narcissa was a BLACK and she would not put up with it. Somehow she would have to have Molly Weasley taken out, murdered, killed, slayed, exterminated, eradicated, slaughtered, massacred and utterly destroyed as soon as it could be discretely arranged. Then after the girl popped out an heir (hopefully a girl) she could meet with an untraceable accident and the connection with that hateful family could be discretely terminated. Then her Draco could find himself a proper wife and produce a proper male heir.

Draco didn't want to marry the Weaselette. She was only pretty, had no money and definitely no refinement whatsoever and SHE WAS A WEASLEY. Potter had liked her during sixth year but he had started to like her too suddenly.

It was rumored, his mother had told him, that Molly Weasley used love potions to get Arthur Weasley to marry her. Pansy had told him that the Weaselette had been throwing herself at Potter and he hadn't noticed. Draco always thought Potter liked Granger and vice versa until the stupid, foolish Mudblood had started pining after Weasley. NOW THAT WAS ONE THING THAT DEFINITELY DIDN'T MAKE SENSE.

Yep, love potions must be involved. Once Potter had been rendered a pauper (much to Draco's elation) the Weasley family had quickly distanced themselves from him and it was rumored he had not been living at their slum of a home. He hadn't seemed to care even when Ginny had frantically started flirting with anybody with money.

It looked like he would be forced to marry the little slut, but no doubt his mother would discretely arrange for "an accident" which would be untraceable. Somebody else would probably be blamed and then the family would have their reputation back and he would be free. So he would do his duty to the family and save his father and marry the bitch, sire an heir and then wait for his mother to take care of things.

Reasonable plan, practically a textbook procedure which any true Pureblood family would undertake under duress. It would have worked except for the fact that it had been Percy Weasley's idea and if there was one thing you could say about Percy was that he was very, very careful and made sure there were no loose ends.

It had been during the signing of the marital contract, the last step before the actual wedding took place, which would be in two days, when everything came to light, big mouths were opened and everything basically hit the proverbial fan.

It was demanded that all three of the Malfoys, then and there in the presence of all those assembled as witnesses and administrators, swear on both their lives and magic that none of them would either harm in any way or cause others to harm in any way any of the future bride's family. Therefore, Narcissa's plans could not be put into action. There was always the possibility of someone putting that into a contract. Even Malfoys and in particular the Blacks had added such requirements in their contracts. Percy had been intelligent enough to think ahead so points to Percy.

However, what could not be borne by any Malfoy (or even the occasional onlooker) was the truly ugly, smug smirk on the face of Molly Weasley. One could tell that she was trying to restrain from laughing out loud at the looks on the faces of the Malfoys. Even Narcissa almost lost it.

Lucius recovered quickly and started to say "We will not agree to this…." Before he was interrupted by a loud, shrieking Molly Weasley (much to Percy's despair).

"IF YOU THINK THAT WE DON'T KNOW THAT YOU WILL TRY TO KILL OUR GINNY OR EVEN ONE OF US AT THE FIRST OPPORTUNITY THEN YOU…."

"HAD YOU LET ME FINISHED BEFORE YOUR RUDE, VULGAR, INTERRUPTION," Lucius had actually shouted back at her to the utter shock of those assembled, "YOU WOULD HAVE HEARD ME REQUESTING THE SAME REQUIREMENT." He stopped his shouting and then calmly continued speaking. "If you are demanding us to swear such an oath – which is perfectly acceptable in polite society – we have the same right to receive an oath from ALL OF YOU FOR THE SAME REASON."

Before Percy could say anything to calm the situation, Molly shouted out. "HOW DARE YOU! WE WILL CERTAINLY NOT SWEAR ANY SUCH THING AS WE ARE LIGHT WIZARDS AND ARE ENTIRELY NOBLE AND HONORABLE UNLIKE YOU MURDERING DEATH EATER SCUM WHO STILL DESERVE TO BE IN AZKABAN – OR BETTER YET KISSED. YOU ARE WORTHLESS, DISHONORABLE PIECES OF DRAGON DUNG WHO DON'T DESERVE ANY MERCY AND HERE WE ARE OFFERING YOU A GIRL MUCH TOO WORTHY FOR YOUR SLIMY…."

"SILENCE," shouted Kingsley Shacklebolt, attempting to bring back some decorum to the rite.

"I WILL NOT BE SILENCED," Molly shouted rudely back to the Minister, "THEY ALL WILL SWEAR AND NONE OF US WILL OR ELSE AND I DEMAND THAT THIS DEATH EATING PIECE OF DUNG BE SENT BACK TO AZKABAN IMMEDIATELY AND NEVER BE LET OUT UNTIL…"

Mercifully Molly's shouting finally stopped as Kingsley cast a silencing charm on her and when she realized what had happened and who did it, she started advancing onto the Minister, no doubt with the intention of doing something unpleasant to him, thus his having to cast a stupefied on her also.

Ron started to add his two knuts to the "discussion" with his usually words of derision directed to Slytherins but Percy had pre-empted him and stupefied his brother, while Arthur had managed to grab hold of Ginny and was whispering common sense and restraint into her ear.

Naturally all hell broke loose. Narcissa accused the Weasleys of attempting to possibly plan and carry out the murders of all three Malfoys either by one of their family members or possible assassination as, after all, "Since you failed to obtain poor Harry Potter's money, what better way for an ill-mannered, greedy, grasping, gang of disgraces to Purebloods than to kill us all and have your slut of a daughter inherit everything."

This brought shouts of outrage from Percy, Arthur, George and Ginny. Who knew exactly what Molly and Ron would have said if they had been capable of speech at the moment. The other witnesses and dignitaries were strangely silent, probably because they were in agreement with Narcissa.

The Weasleys might be a light family and most of them were at least minor heroes in the recent war, but that didn't mean the thought of eliminating the "problem" had not occurred to at least Molly Weasley and perhaps even Percy as it no doubt had occurred to Narcissa and/or Lucius. Anyone knowing Molly Weasley or at least watching and hearing her now, would not put it past her. Although no one mentioned it, it was a well-known fact that Molly had killed Narcissa's sister, no matter how well-deserved, but Molly had killed a relative of the Blacks and Malfoys.

Instead of an hour ceremony, it took six hours before an "agreement" could be reached. All three Malfoys and ALL WEASLEYS would have to take the oath – no exceptions. That meant that Bill, Fleur and Charlie had to be fetched before the wedding took place (well they had been coming anyway) to take the oath.

Because of Molly's behavior and the fact that there had been many Malfoy allies present at the ceremony, the contract was revised "for safety sake and the protection of any future heir" meaning that if all three Malfoys were to die, and Ginny had not given Draco an heir, ALL THE MALFOY FORTUNE, with the exception of 50,000 galleon which would be Ginny's widow portion, since she wasn't bringing a dowry into the marriage, would be divided between St. Mungo's and some Malfoy relatives in France.

If Ginny did produce a legitimate (medically certified) heir/heirs and Draco were to die, she would relinquish all claims to the child(ren) and allow it/them to be raised by the surviving Malfoy parents. If both Lucius and Narcissa were deceased, the child(ren) would be never be raised by any of the Weasleys but by a board of trustees to be appointed by the Malfoys.

Molly had screamed so loud at this condition that a poor, unfortunate Auror who had been standing next to her, had to receive medical treatment for the temporary deafness he suffered due to her shouting directly into his ear. Molly was silenced and bound once again and Ron had been told to leave the room until further notice.

When all was settled, a very disappointed and exhausted Percy Weasley went out for a drink at the Leaky Cauldron. Everything he had so carefully planned had ended badly thanks mostly to his mother's words and actions, as well as Ron's and Ginny's behavior.

They had lost so much ground that the only thing which remained was that in two days' time Ginny would marry Draco and she would produce an heir within five years or the marriage would be dissolved. Of course, both she and Draco must cooperate and both must "do their duty in producing that heir" or both would suffer consequences.

With the new terms none of the other Weasleys were allowed in Malfoy Manor without a specified invitation – no exceptions – whether it was a holiday celebration or any type of party given for any reasons by the Malfoys. Molly demanded the same and no Malfoy was allowed at the Burrow or any other Weasley home unless _she allowed it_ "which I won't," she had shouted at them. In an unusual slippage of control all three Malfoys actually cheered at that pronouncement much to the amusement of most of those assembled.

"We all would have gained so much if they had just kept quiet," Percy mused to himself. Now only Ginny would benefit – somewhat and not as much as she would have before the outbreak. She would live at the Manor, have clothes, jewels, house elves at her beck and call and as long as she behaved herself and produced an heir, she could keep the good life. He just hoped she wouldn't do anything stupid.

Lucius Malfoy might or might not support Percy in his quest for a political life. Lucius knew that Percy had the ability and ambition, but so had other possible protégés and only time would tell if Percy would be utilized in the way he wanted. He could only hope.

"I should just change my name to Weatherby and try again," he thought.


	6. Chapter 6 - Trouble in Britain

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 6 – Trouble in Britain

Roddy hated to admit it but it was a good thing Kreacher made him return to the Black House. During the past seven, nearly eight years, he had spent all the money from his trust vault. He had had a lot of expenses starting with the conversion fee the Goblins had charged Dobby to exchange galleons for Muggle currency so he could open up the Muggle bank account.

He had Kreacher exchange galleons for Euros when Harry had needed his surgery and for his living expenses and purchases before he started doing business with the Dwarfs. Currency rates throughout the world changed daily but the Goblins had a monopoly in Magical Britain and as they were the only banking source on the Island, they could charge whatever they wanted. They especially made a killing when Muggleborns entered their world as Hogwarts and magical shops would accept payment only in galleons.

The Dwarfs had given him an excellent rate considering he was supplying him with the much coveted galleons and they wanted to show him their appreciation and his value as a new customer.

He had a lot of expenses in the beginning besides the surgeries, the new wand and magical supplies. He had to buy an entire new Muggle wardrobe and rent a place to live so he could prepare for school and regain his health.

Then there were also the Muggle documents he needed to start his new life. Granted the Dwarfs charged him much less than the Goblins would have, but he needed everything from primary and secondary school records, driver's license, passports and several other things he never would have thought of himself. The Dwarfs had made up an entire new life for him on paper.

The university he had attended in Ireland was one of the best and he was lucky to get in, again probably thanks to the Dwarfs. But once in he had to work hard to stay there. He lived modestly with the minivan being his only indulgence. His tuition had been expensive.

He had gone to the U.S. for the magical treatment and had taken the time to travel around the country. He had taken those excellent but expensive language lessons in French and German but it had served him well when he left Ireland for Germany.

Tuition was always expensive and constant as well living expenses no matter how careful and frugally he lived. He always had to buy replacement clothing because not only had his body undergone changes throughout the years due to the medical treatments and his exercise programs, but his Muggle clothing simply wore out.

There was always rent to be paid, food to be bought and the odd treat, usually books, CDs, DVDs and other assorted items he needed to fit in with the Muggle life. He considered his language lessons part of his education, but the motorcycle had been a spur-of-the-moment purchase.

He only gave presents to Andromeda and Teddy and the small non-clothes gifts he gave to the elves. His "acquaintances" never really gave him gifts other than a Christmas card or an invitation to a party. No one knew his birth date or apparently cared.

Thus, by the time Kreacher had informed him he needed to go to the House of Black, it had been a subtle hint that Roddy was almost broke as the year before he had bought the small house to "have a garden and save money by not having to pay rent and growing some of my own food and potion ingredients."

The house had to be furnished and the garden prepared, tools bought, the greenhouse built (the elves helped). He had two years of school left, then an internship and residency to serve and then he would HAVE to get a job.

The money hidden at Grimmauld Place had to be exchanged so money was lost because of converting galleons into the £125,000 he had settled on Teddy. He had given the boy small monetary gifts over the years to help in his upbringing but nothing really to put aside for his magical education.

He thought he would have been out of school with a job long before this and would have been able to pay Teddy's tuition, but his life hadn't worked out according to plan. Well that is what happened when you were Harry Potter – your personal plans usually failed.

From his trust vault and Sirius' money he had made some investments which gave him a small income but not enough to ever live on. He had kept some of the "Grimmauld loot" in galleons for his use when traveling and visiting magical places and for "emergency escapes" if he ever needed to flee from his current life. He had a supply of Euros, Pounds Sterling and U.S. dollars stashed away at his home for the same reason.

Although he had told Andromeda when he left that he didn't want to know what was going on in Britain, she did have Winky relay "important things" to him. He had heard about the Weasleys' fortunes and misfortunes, the Ministry was still basically the same despite Kingsley's hard work and he had lost the latest election to Matthew Abbott, Hannah Abbott's father. Andromeda had said he was a good man and as it was thought that Kingsley had done all he could and as he had been showing signs of stress and ill-health, it was a good time for him to retire.

McGonagall was still Headmistress and had made many changes at the school all for the better. She had even managed to buy new school brooms for all the Quidditch teams to use something that Dumbledore hadn't done in the more than 50 years he ruled over the school. Harry had laughed rather bitterly upon hearing that. No doubt she thought James and Sirius would prefer to see all the House teams (even Slytherin) to have proper brooms to use to give them all an equal chance at playing Quidditch rather than Harry be given the opportunity to finally have a real education.

Frank Longbottom had finally died and Alice followed a few months later. They were now at peace and Neville was officially Lord Longbottom. Neville had married Hannah Abbott and they had one son and another child on the way.

"What the main topic of gossip is now," Andromeda had said in her letter (and Harry could feel the gloating in it) "Next month it will be five years and Ginny Weasley Malfoy has never conceived. Molly Weasley publically accused the Malfoys of using infertility potions on Ginny, but apparently every six months Ginny goes to St. Mungo's to be checked for potions, charms, hexes or anything that could be preventing conception."

"Of course Molly has been saying for the last four years that the fault lies with Draco, until it was revealed that he also goes to St. Mungo's to be checked when Ginny does. My dear sister Narcissa says that 'nothing is wrong with Draco and it's that ill-mannered girl's fault.' What is really infuriating my dear sister and her husband is that when Ginny and Draco go in for the check-up at least one of them is given Veritaserum to find out how many times a month they have sex! It has been the scandal of the month for the past three years as that was when Rita Skeeter found out about it and naturally she reports the results to her interested readers."

"Based on my knowledge of Pureblood families and a private study one of my healer friends did a few years ago (which the Ministry wouldn't allow to be printed), sometimes despite being healthy, magicals (especially Purebloods) just have trouble conceiving. You can use your grandparents as an example."

"Your grandmother was just reaching the age where conception was impossible. They had tried _**everything**_ over the years to have a child and nothing had worked. Then at the last minute, James was conceived and born healthy _**and magical**_. Sometimes such a late in life child is born a Squib, so the Potters were so grateful it was no wonder they spoiled James."

"Who knows maybe it is the same with the Malfoys. No doubt when the marriage is dissolved and they both marry someone else one or both of them will be able to have a child. My friend had many theories, one of which was that the magic of certain couples' magic just isn't compatible with each other, thus they don't conceive at all."

"I was not able to have more children after my daughter as her being a metamorphmagus did something to my womb – at least according to my friend. Narcissa had two miscarriages before and one after Draco's birth."

"Even my sister Bella had one pregnancy but apparently something caused her to miscarry in her sixth month and she was never able to conceive again. It must have been something bad as according to the gossips, the Lestranges refused to admit she had been pregnant, but since it had been announced and she had been seen in public as being noticeably pregnant, it was rather hard to dispute the fact that Bellatrix Lestrange was having a child. This happened a year after my daughter was born, which was just about the time that Bella was known to have joined the Death Eaters."

Both Harry Potter and Roddy Owens had to laugh at that, considering how fertile the Weasleys (or at least Molly) were and for Draco actually to keep "being tested" and given Veritaserum to make sure they were having sex, well it was just unbelievably funny. He was surprised to learn that Bellatrix had almost had a child.

"Rumor has it that the when the divorce is granted next month Lucius is going to ask for the bride price back. I don't know if he can legally get it back due to the wording of the contract, but I know he will try if only to aggravate the Weasleys – who have probably spent it."

After he had read the letter he felt sad. Neville had a son and another child on the way. While he was happy for Neville, it brought to mind that probably a lot of his classmates were married by now and probably had children.

Roddy hadn't had a date for over six months. It wasn't unusual for him, as he was always busy with something and few girls caught his fancy, but he wondered if he would ever find someone to love and marry let alone have children.

Harry Potter felt old, even though he wasn't yet 26 years old. Time was flying. Teddy Lupin, his godson, was almost 8 years old and he hadn't seen him since he was a tiny baby. Winky brought photos of the boy with the letters when Harry called her, but Harry never sent any photos of himself because he didn't want his new looks known to anybody. He never told and Andromeda had never asked what Harry was going to school for or whether he was a Muggle student or was studying for a magical career.

From what Andromeda had told him it seemed that after he had left and a few weeks after the "Weasley duel-to-the-death" fiasco had died down, his name rarely appeared in the papers. Had Magical Britain cared so little about him (probably) that after a few months nobody cared whether he was in Britain or Timbuktu, was healthy or sick, living or dead. No mentioned had been made by Kingsley of the Order of Merlin being presented to Harry since his last discussion with the man.

According to Winky, who loved to gossip and truly hated all Weasleys, Percy had tried to start a movement for Ron to receive his Order of Merlin, but it had no support and soon fizzled out. The only thing which the Ministry had done was to establish May 2nd as an "official day of memorial for all of those who died in the first and second Voldemortic wars."

No Orders of Merlin (let alone the money that went with it) were given out but instead a memorial wall with the names of all of those who fought in the wars with valor, died and/or were victims of the wars was built at Hogwarts.

Winky hadn't mentioned and Harry didn't ask if his name was on that wall. He told himself he didn't care but part of him would be sadden and furious if his name was not on that wall. "You could always sneak into Hogwarts and have a look," the Voice had suggested. "The Chamber is rather large and you never had the opportunity to explore. Who knows what things you would find."

Harry Potter considered it as Roddy Owens could always use money, jewels, weapons, rare tomes, etc., but he talked himself out of it because he was just too busy and Hogwarts was in session and he had a heavy work load, etc. The real reason was that Harry Potter never wanted to go back to Hogwarts or even Britain again. He had gotten everything he could use from Grimmauld Place, settled money on Teddy and given Andromeda a few family mementos.

If he were to die tomorrow Teddy would be taken care of financially at least. He had advised Andromeda to choose a few potential guardians for the boy in case she died or became too ill to take care of Teddy. He could not promise to take care of Teddy given the life he was currently living and he wanted his godson to have a stable, loving environment.

"As long as it isn't anyone named Weasley, Malfoy, an Order member or McGonagall, I am fine with that – this is just based on my own personal experience," he had written to her.

Fortunately for Teddy, Andromeda did have some trustworthy friends of her own and Ted Tonks had a non-magical sister with whom they had kept in touch, so the boy would have a better life than Harry had or could currently give him, so Harry didn't feel guilty about "not doing a better job as a godfather than he was doing." "You have done more for the boy than anyone had ever done for you," the Voice has told him and Harry had to agree with the Voice.

Three years had passed since the trip to Grimmauld Place. Roddy had finally finished his schooling and internship. He had become fluent in Russian and Japanese. He had also studied more magical subjects. Most were directed to the healing arts. He might not have any "official healer license" but between his Muggle medical degree and his self-study he could probably take a test and get a job at any magical medical facility in the world – other than St. Mungo's of course.

Roddy had even managed to acquire three "official" girlfriends during the last three years. One had been a fellow medical student and one had been a Ph.D. candidate in bio-research. Both were no nonsense, dedicated professionals with very busy schedules like Roddy had and the relationships had mainly been sexual not emotional which was all the three of them had needed or wanted.

The current woman was an "artist" or rather she played at being an artist helped along by her daddy's money. She had just finished school and daddy had set her up with her own studio to dabble in "her art" until she met someone who was proper husband material and married him. Roddy was her latest beau. He didn't have any "real money" but was handsome, witty, well-educated and a doctor just a few years shy from making the _real money_.

She was an air-head, not all that intelligent or even pretty, but she had connections (through daddy) and was good for a laugh due to her stupidity. She was what Roddy was looking for - unemotional sex and young enough not to be jaded.

She wasn't particularly good in bed, but she didn't have any sexual diseases and was too lazy to be unfaithful and always available when Roddy had the urge. Roddy also got to attend some good social functions, do some networking and see how the rich and famous of the Muggle world lived. It was good for the six months it had lasted but he was tired of her and he now had a crucial decision to make.

Harry had long ago accepted that Andromeda would tell Harry all the gossip whether he wanted to know or not. During the past three years the Malfoy divorced had been finalized, Lucius didn't get back the bride price but Draco got his freedom and the very next week married Astoria Greengrass and they had produced a son within ten months of the wedding.

Molly Weasley had been furious and would have told everyone that "it was probably someone's bastard and blood adopted" but there was no one to listen as most of the Weasleys did not travel in any social circles of any note and the _Daily Prophet_ would not print such slander – well at least not slander about the Malfoys, who had regained most of their original status, while the Weasleys lost what they had won in the war.

Ginny had finally found some rich wizard from Italy to marry. He was a widower with grown heirs and much older than she was but he was RICH and Ginny had become used to living in luxury, plus she would be getting away from Britain AND HER MOTHER.

George Weasley had married Angela Johnson seven years ago and they had three children. Molly had demanded that the wedding be held at the Burrow with her in complete charge. George and Angela had eloped and Molly threatened to disown George until they had a "real wedding like they were supposed to." He ignored her.

Percy Weasley had also married seven years ago to a desperate Pansy Parkinson. The Parkinson's still had some money but it had been difficult to find a Pureblood "worthy of marrying into the Parkinson family" or in other words a Pureblood not bearing the dark mark, not having been in Azkaban, one with a possible future and one willing to actually marry Pansy.

When she had lost "her Draky" (who had never been her's to begin with), she had gone on a two year drinking binge and had lost what little looks she had and rotted out her brain a bit. However, Percy needed a wife with name and MONEY and the Parkinsons needed a Pureblood husband for their daughter.

There was a "No Molly Clause" written into the marriage contract meaning Molly Weasley would not be welcomed at any Parkinson social function nor at the family home where Percy would be living with his new bride. They had a son and a daughter and seemed to get on very well all things considered.

Neville was now the father of a son and two daughters and was the new Herbology Professor at Hogwarts. McGonagall was still the Headmistress and still trying to bring the school up to its former glory.

Harry's "inheritance" had been responsible for rebuilding the school and allowing McGonagall to make many of the changes the school so desperately needed. Harry was still angry at her for denying his coming back for his seventh year. He was noble enough not to begrudge the school the money that Dumbledore has "donated" but he was furious and would never forgive all the "powers that be" who denied him a "chance" after all he had sacrificed for them.

In this year's letter, Andromeda caught Harry up on who of his classmates were now married and/or now had children. Other than Neville, he didn't particularly care to know who now had something he never had or probably ever would, so he skipped over that information.

The only other classmate he did read about was Ron. "Ron Weasley is still single and living at home with Molly and Arthur. From what I heard he moved into Bill's old room. He is still an assistant coach for the Cannons and has been keeping out of trouble. I ran into him six months ago while shopping in the Alley."

"I didn't talk to him as I almost didn't recognize him and luckily he didn't notice me. He has really packed on the pounds. He must be close to 250-300 lbs. with a very noticeable belly barely hidden behind his robes. His hair in really starting to thin badly. He is the sort of man which the boy Ron would have made fun of. I know it is mean of me to say, but I am after all a Black so I will say it – he is the type of man that even a very, very drunk, over 40 spinster witch would flee from. Hags would probably hide."

Harry chuckled over that. The old Harry would have felt sorry for his former friend even after all of the things he had done to him. Roddy had no qualms about laughing out loud. Even the very fragile Kreacher snickered until he had a coughing spell which continued until Roddy dosed him with his own elf potion invented specially for Kreacher.

It was evident the old elf was not long for this world. Harry had promised him that when he died, his head would be placed on the wall at Grimmauld Place. It was a promise he preferred not to keep but the old elf deserved it and "Lord Black" would see it happen.

The final bit of news on the letter made several decisions for Harry and Roddy. "I know you have suggested, asked and might have even ordered if you had been any other person rather than you, Harry, but Teddy has decided to attend Hogwarts."

She went on to list all the reasons consisting mainly of "tradition, school of the ancestors, my parents, etc." but he really didn't comprehend the words. Not wanting Teddy to attend Hogwarts had not been due to any personal animosity which Harry Potter had against the school.

Harry was afraid that Teddy would face the same discrimination all Half-bloods faced. The boy was also the son of a Werewolf and would be condemned and taunted for this fact alone. Harry had made this perfectly clear to both Andromeda and Teddy. He had been sending Teddy letters via Winky as soon as the boy had learned to read and to understand "Harry's situation."

But Harry had an uneasy feeling about this, especially when Andromeda stressed that Teddy really needed to see his godfather and as soon as possible. Something was definitely wrong but the Slytherin and not the Gryffindor in Harry/Roddy knew better than to rush in blindly as he would have done under that magic cast on him by Dumbledore.

No, he must use logic and great care and find out what was going wrong in Britain.


	7. Chapter 7 - Time to Move On

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 7 – Time to Move On

"You did your best to help the boy," the Voice had whispered gently, "and this has made your decision, hasn't it?" "Yes," Harry answered back. "Ask the elf what is wrong," commanded the Voice.

Winky had looked guilty when she had brought the letter. She avoided looking Harry in the eyes and was not as chipper and talkative as she usually was. She had been tending to Kreacher fetching him a hot elfin drink and asking about his health. Now Harry asked that she follow him into the small living room and cast silence spells all around. "All right Winky, I order you to tell me what is wrong with Andromeda and Teddy."

The elf didn't look up to meet his eyes and with her head lowered she started to wring her hands. "Mistress Andy didn't want Winky to tell Harry Potter the bad news."

"Well Harry Potter DEMANDS that Winky tell him the bad news as you are bonded to me and I only allow you and your girls to serve Andromeda and Teddy." So the crying elf sorrowing told him.

The Ministry had begun to look for Harry Potter. Since he had left nobody had heard anything from him or about him. The only possible link he held in Britain would be to his godson Teddy Lupin. Even all of the Weasleys, who he had publically and officially broken all ties with, let alone Ron, Percy and Molly's very public denouncements of him, agreed that Harry Potter would never completely abandon his godson.

The Ministry had both Andromeda and Teddy brought into the Minister of Magic's office for a "discussion concerning Teddy's future." Apparently the Ministry considered Teddy's parents heroes in the last war and thus as the orphan of said heroes, the Ministry felt it their duty to provide for the orphan boy's education since his grandmother had, due to the necessity of raising the boy and her own ill health (and this was the first time that Andromeda had heard _she was ill_ ) had to cut down on her law practice and thus could probably not provide satisfactorily for the boy.

Although Andromeda assured the Minister that she wasn't ill and made a decent living to support herself and Teddy and was saving for his education, the Minister had interrupted her by saying, "Oh Mrs. Tonks, I know that as a member of the Black Family you do have your pride, but the cost of education has gone up and we only wish to be of help to make sure little Teddy here does not suffer. It is unfortunate that you are the boy's only living relative and that his godfather, Harry Potter, has apparently abandoned the boy so very cruelly and..."

"Master Teddy interrupted the mean old Minister," Winky had told him, "and he defended Master Harry and said he was a good godfather and sent him letters and money every so often."

"Didn't Andromeda spell Teddy like I asked her to not be able to mention me to anybody?"

"Oh yes, Master Harry," cried Winky, "but they had given Mistress Andy tea and Master Teddy butter beer with cakes and biscuits to eat. There was a potion in Master Teddy's butter beer and Veritaserum in Mistress Andy's tea." Winky broke out in tears while Harry lost his temper.

After Winky had calmed down a bit she continued, "Potion in Master Teddy's butter beer was very mild but made him sick when he told about you to mean Minister and the Aurors who had been hiding in his office, so they could not ask anything more from Master Teddy. But then truth potion started working on Mistress Andy," sobbed the elf.

"Mistress Andy very smart and very carefully answered questions the Aurors asked. She said that once or twice a year Harry Potter sent letters and some money for Master Teddy. Mistress said no owl comes with letters. A letter is found one morning and the letters they write to Harry Potter are picked up. Mistress said it must be elf who leaves and picks up letters. Mistress could truthfully say that she and Master Teddy owned no elf as Winky and her babies are Harry Potter's elves."

Winky had to stop to calm down again. "Mistress and Master Teddy were told to give letter from Ministry to be picked up by elf next time it comes. They were told they would be in big trouble if they didn't put this letter in for Harry Potter next time his elf come. They were told no harm would come to Harry Potter just that Ministry wanted to find Harry Potter to give him big award and many honors. Mistress and Master Teddy were spelled not to tell anybody about this."

"What did they do?"

"When Mistress and Master Teddy come home, Winky noticed they had funny look on faces. Then Mistress started speaking out loud to Master Teddy and she went on to say all that had happened to them at the Ministry and for Master Teddy to remember he could not tell anybody. This was Mistress Andy's way of being able to tell Winky what had happened."

"She then put the letter in the special place she leaves all letters to Harry Potter and while she did she says to Master Teddy 'I hope there are no portkeys or tracking spells on this letter which could hurt Harry Potter.' Winky then knows to check the letter for such things and I do later but I still listen to Mistress Andy saying that letter must stay there until Harry Potter's elf gets it and Master Teddy should not touch it."

Winky went on to say that she and the elf babies never came into view unless she or Teddy called them. She did not call but later she wrote a letter to Winky and left it for the elf to find in the kitchen. She told Winky she did not know if she and/or Teddy had been spelled and for Winky to check them later when they were asleep. Whether they had or not, Andromeda could not risk Winky being seen as she or Teddy might have their memories taken for pensive viewing.

She then told Winky the Ministry letter probably had a tracker or portkey and for Winky not to take them yet until you called for her. Then she was to take the letter from the Ministry and destroy it after she left and before she took the other letters to Harry Potter. Until then Winky was to take the babies and go to Grimmauld Place and stay there until you called her.

"And when were you planning on telling me all of this? Harry asked. "I noticed you did not come in and tell me first thing. Why?"

"Because Winky thinks she was spelled not to tell you. She thinks spell was on the letter and when Winky destroyed it I could not tell you until you asked. Winky wanted to but could not."

Winky then went on to tell Harry she had sent one of her daughters once a week to Mistress Tonks to look for a note under her bed pillow. The letter had instructed to keep checking there to see if there was a message she should tell Harry if the Ministry was up to something when the port key didn't bring Harry to the Ministry.

Harry was a little insulted that the Ministry would send a letter – with the Ministry crest on it no less - and think Harry would not check for port keys. If nothing else he was furious they would dare use Andromeda and Teddy to find him and in such a sneaky, dishonorable way.

He seriously doubted it was to give him any award especially when Winky told him there was nothing in the newspapers about any special ceremonies or awarding anything to anybody. Besides anybody who knew anything about Harry Potter would know he would not want to receive an award especially after so long a time had passed.

No, something was up. He knew for certain it wasn't anything to do with Voldemort. All known Death Eaters had been accounted for and were either dead, in Azkaban, had been in Azkaban and gotten out like Lucius Malfoy or were too weak and dishearten for any of them to try and become a new dark lord.

The only other thing he could think of was that there was a new up-and-coming dark lord and the fools at the Ministry decided that if Harry Potter had saved them from Voldemort he could probably save them from this new dark lord before he gained more power and followers. That sounded like something the Ministry would do.

Maybe that was why Teddy was going to Hogwarts. He and Andromeda were being used as hostages. Well he couldn't risk them being harmed. He decided to have Winky leave a verbal message to give to Andromeda. In fact he would kill two birds with one stone.

Winky would take Kreacher back to Grimmauld Place. He would die shortly and then Andromeda could carry out Kreacher's last wish. As Lord Black Harry would order Andromeda to put Kreacher's head on the wall of house elf honor. After Winky took Kreacher to Grimmauld, she was to wait until Andromeda was asleep and basically kidnap her, bring her to Grimmauld and tell her Harry would no longer be in touch with her or Teddy.

It was to protect them. There would be a piece of scrap paper from a brown shopping bag – not a letter so Andromeda could talk around Veritaserum – for Andromeda to find giving her instructions concerning Kreacher and if and when he could ever really contact them again. Depending on what the Ministry got up to after Harry sent them a letter, Andromeda and Teddy should have enough money in the Muggle bank account to escape Britain and for Teddy to attend a school besides Hogwarts.

He apologized for putting them in danger but it seemed that even 11 years after the war those he loved were still at risk.

Harry said an emotional goodbye to the old elf, telling him he would be on the wall of honor and to serve the House of Black by protecting Grimmauld Place until the end. Actually he said a lot of "mushy stuff" to the old elf who had tears in his eyes. Harry was a bit misty-eyed himself.

By the time Winky returned he had the howler ready. He had never written a howler before and he hoped it worked. He then had Winky pop back to Britain and rent a plain postage owl to deliver the howler. "I'll call you within a few days," he had told Winky.

The Minister of Magic received Harry Potter's howler and he was not happy. The plan to find and trap Potter had failed and Potter had informed him that he would now be abandoning Teddy Lupin and it was the Minister's fault.

The howler addressed Harry's displeasure with the tactics used by the Ministry and the treatment of Andromeda and Teddy and ended with Harry shouting "I WILL NEVER AGAIN SET FOOT ON THE SHORES OF THAT CURSED ISLE AND MAY YOU BASTARDS HAVE THE MISERABLE, CURSED LIVES YOU TRULY DESERVE.

Harry had also written a letter to Neville Longbottom informing him of exactly what his father-in-law had done. He didn't blame Neville and he wished him well and congratulated him on his wife and children. He told Neville he could count only Hermione, Luna and Neville as the only real friends he had ever had.

"In regards to the Ministry, the Order, the Hogwarts Professors, the sheepeoples of Britain, you know what "they" all have done to me. You know the difference between the truth and the lies of my life and why I can never return. If you like you can inform my enemies that with the loss of Teddy I have nothing and no one and probably never will. No doubt that will make all the bastards happy knowing they have finally crushed and completely ruined the life of Harry Potter."

Roddy Owens put his house up for sale and had Floody pack up all his possessions. He saw to the greenhouse himself. He had already sent out feelers to certain hospitals around the world to start his residency. He was multi-lingual after all and had excellent grades and recommendations. He would leave it up to fate to choose where he would go next. He donated his minivan to an orphanage for some reason. It was old but he had kept it in excellent condition and had just put new tires on it.

It was a week before he called for Winky. The Aurors had dragged Andromeda in for "a chat" after the howler had been received. She was administered Veritaserum and told them everything they had asked of her. When the potion had worn off she then told them exactly what she thought of them. They didn't care. They needed Harry Potter but wouldn't tell her why. The Minister had been advised by a "reliable source" that he shouldn't believe that despite not having seen his godson since the boy was just a few months old, Potter would never completely abandon him.

It was then Andromeda had been informed that Teddy was being made a ward of the Ministry since his parents had been war heroes and "she was in poor health." He would be placed in protective custody until he started Hogwarts in September. He would spend all his holidays in the castle except for the summer when he would go home to his unnamed guardians. "The only possible way this will stop will be if a close relative, such as the Malfoys or say, his godfather, decided to sue for his custody."

It was a veiled threat as the Malfoys could already be the unnamed guardians and if they were not, they might be persuaded to sue for the boy's custody just to hurt Andromeda. She did not want to imagine how they would treat her grandson.

"They will not harm the boy," the Voice had counseled. "They need him and as he will be at Hogwarts McGonagall will see that no harms comes to him. She liked his father and mother after all – much more than you – and there is no Albus Dumbledore to manipulate him for his own plans."

"Longbottom will also look out for the boy especially after the letter you sent to him. Granted his grandmother will lose custody but the boy will find friends and protectors at Hogwarts. He is also a metamorphmagus which is a rare and valuable asset to have so no one will harm him. The worst, and most likely, thing which will happen is the boy decides to blame you for him being taken away from his Gran or for your "abandoning him" as it were. But then he would only be abandoned by you, whereas you were abandoned by everyone – including Teddy's own father."

"You are so comforting," snarled Harry at the Voice.

"At least I am not deceiving you – just pointing out the facts. You have been a very good godfather considering the circumstances of your own life. Your own godfather could have taken lessons from you. If you think further on it, you can't trust the boy or the grandmother."

"Had you not taken the precautions you did, she might have turned you in long before this if someone found out about your keeping in touch. And the boy is young and if given the choice of having his grandmother back in his life or betraying the attentive but elusive godfather, he would definitely choose his grandmother even if he knew the betrayal could hurt you or even cause your death."

"Who do you think told the Ministry about them?" Harry asked the Voice, quickly changing the subject.

"You are asking me?" the Voice scoffed. "Most likely one of the Weasleys, the one with the most to gain. Who has the most to gain?"

Harry thought. "Ron is basically finished and he _should know it._ If not, he is probably too lazy to think of doing anything to get some fame at this point and I don't really think anybody would ask him."

"Molly or Ginny would do it without a second thought just to get back at me for something, real or imagined. After all, their lives did not turn out as they had planned and since they couldn't possibly be responsible for that then let's blame Harry Potter. That just leaves Percy as he is the only one with any political aspirations and he does have some sort of job there."

"So we have established it is a Weasley, probably Percy. What we now need to know is why they want you back so desperately when you have been totally ignored for so long."

Since Winky had destroyed the letter before she delivered it, Harry couldn't know what was in it. If was quite possible nothing had been written in the letter as, being a port key, it would activate either when Harry touched it or opened it.

The one thing he did know was to have acted in such a manner, something must be happening which the Ministry knew he wouldn't contact them let alone come back to Britain for if he knew about it beforehand.

"Do you really want to know what it is the Ministry wants?" asked the Voice.

"Not really. What I do know is I want no part in whatever it is."

"Well then hopefully you will be accepted at one of the hospitals in Japan. You can do that research on the effects of radiation as well as all the other "goodies" you have heard about. And then there is the real research into the esoteric arts. Think of all the books on ancient works of magic you can acquire…."

"Especially before the deluge," Harry added.

"Yes, save them for your own use and…for posterity."

Harry had sent Winky back telling her to inform Andromeda that he had some research to do regarding the situation they were all in. He was stalling for time, waiting to see how things would turn out within the next few weeks and where he would be accepted for a residency.

He had been sending Floody to Geneva every day to the ICW Headquarters where newspapers from all over Magical Europe could be bought. He wanted to see if anything interesting was in the _Prophet_. There was nothing interesting, not even Quidditch scores.

After a month he had heard from all his applications. He had been accepted at the best medical center in Japan. He had cast a charm on his house to induce someone to buy it. He was asking a fair price for it but he didn't have the time to waste as he wanted to leave as soon as possible. It had sold within a week and in another two weeks the house would be somebody else's.

He had already broken up with the "artist" and she had been rather angry because she had decided to marry him. He didn't care but he took the precaution of renting a motel room so she couldn't find him.

The day his flight was leaving for Japan he called for Winky. The poor elf had been very upset because "Mistress Andy wants her grandson back and she is very angry with Harry Potter because she can't even see Master Teddy until Harry Potter goes to the Ministry of Magic and gets him back for her."

The elf confessed that in the notes Andromeda left for the elf she had tried to order Winky to grab Harry Potter when he called for her and to pop him directly to the Minister of Magic.

"Mistress said then 'all would be forgiven' and she would get Master Teddy back forever. Mistress also said if Harry Potter was a good wizard and a good godfather he would never have left his Teddy in the first place. If Harry Potter does not come and save her Teddy for her then Harry Potter is worst godfather ever and she will become his enemy."

"Have you been checking Andromeda for charms and hexes?"

"Yes Master Harry Winky has done so and has always checked the notes Mistress leaves for Winky for tracings and other spells."

"How is Kreacher?"

Winky looked very sad and told Harry that Kreacher had died two weeks ago and Mistress Andy had refused to put the old elf's head on the wall until Harry Potter got her Teddy back.

"But Winky and her babies put up old Kreacher's head on elf wall of honor."

"That was very good of you Winky. Mistress Andy disobeyed a direct order from her Head of House. I could disown her for all of the things she is doing."

Winky looked up at Harry sadly before saying, "Mistress Andy is just wanting her grandbaby Teddy back. He is all she has and she is afraid she will never see him again or at least until he graduates from Hogwarts and then maybe he not really want to see her anymore. She is just crying for her grandbaby that is all."

"What else are you not saying Winky?"

Winky wouldn't look at Harry because she knew what she was about to tell him would make him very angry.

"Mistress Andy so desperate and so unhappy my baby Dolly caught her planting port keys throughout the house where we elves work. I told this to Mistress Andy and she said she wanted me to understand how she felt and for me to make sure you knew how bad you are for not saving Master Teddy for her, so when my babies Dolly or Wandy touch a portkey they would be sent to a special place in the Ministry where they could not get out until you came to see Minister of Magic. Then Winky would be crying and know how bad she feels."

Harry was so angry he could not speak for a moment. Winky sensed this and said "But Mistress Andy was crying bad when she said this and told Winky she did not want to do this but had to as even though she be solicitor, bad Wizengamot members pass laws making the taking of Master Teddy legal – said it is also in case he becomes werewolf when he grows up. So there is nothing she can do but only bad godfather Harry Potter can fix." The elf then broke out crying.

"Winky," said Harry coldly. "I want you to go back to Grimmauld Place, check to make sure neither you nor your girls has any tracers or charms on you or any possessions you have and come back here immediately. Floody will then check you again. I want it done now."

Winky was back with Dolly and Wandy within five minutes. By that time Harry had retrieved a ward stone he had taken from the Black House. He then cast some special charms on the stone and murmured in parsel so they could not be undone. As Lord Black he shut down Grimmauld Place to all except for himself and Floody.

Now no one, not even Winky and her girls or Andromeda or Teddy could gain entrance to the house. Once again as Lord Black he officially disowned Andromeda and Teddy and cast them out of the family. On a whim just to be thorough, he officially disowned and cast out Narcissa Malfoy and ALL her descendants from the House of Black.

He then gave Floody his shrunken possessions which he would not be taking on the plane with him and issued new instructions to the elf. Harry then left to catch his plane to his new job.


	8. Chapter 8 - Starting Anew - Again

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 8 – Starting Anew - Again

Harry had rented a small apartment near the hospital. He enlarged it with magic to accommodate the four elves as well as to give him more room to live in. He had purchased a magical trunk much like Moody had had which held his vast and ever growing library. Whereas he had taken most of the Black library and had collected a respectable personal library of his own, he constantly cursed Dumbledore, the Goblins, the Ministry and just about everyone else because they had lost him the Potter Family library.

Andromeda had told him every family had a Grimoire, a book which only a family member by blood or marriage could open and make use of the spells, potions, charms and other special magics which belong to a particular family.

The Potter Grimoire would have been in the main vault and he would never know if Dumbledore had taken it out or the Goblins had claimed it. True, it would be of use to anyone but a Potter, but if he had married Ginny Weasley and he had died, all that knowledge would be opened to her and for the use of anyone she choose to give the knowledge to. Who knew how many precious books in the Potter library had been taken by Dumbledore or the Goblins.

There was nothing he could do about it and cursing those who had stolen his birthright did nothing but darken his soul. Still he had been looking for a curse to use and even tried to invent one which would actually put a curse on any book from the Potter library which had been stolen or sold. It had been more wishful thinking than actual planning as he had been so very busy, but someday….

Two years went by quickly and he learned much both Muggle and magical. He took the risk of befriending some Japanese wizards as they probably never had heard of Harry Potter before and it had been a long time since the wizard of that name had completely disappeared. Roddy Owens was accepted and befriended on the basis of his power, his worth, his knowledge and his own unique personality.

He had even been approached by several wizards of renown with offers of marriage contracts with their daughters. While he expressed his unworthiness of such great an honor, he wiggled out of these entanglements by pleading he had still not made a name for himself yet or was earning sufficient money to properly support a wife and family.

He was 31 and in the Wizarding world that was considered old not to be married. Usually if a witch or wizard did not marry by ages 30 and 40 respectively, they would never marry. He still had 9 years until he could be considered a "confirmed old bachelor," but there was always that sense of longing to be loved and to have a family.

Besides the "deluge" as the Voice referred to it was coming soon. The Voice had informed Harry/Roddy that as a powerful wizard it would be his duty to stop the deluge. "Don't get upset as unlike Britain it just isn't your responsibility. But you must continue making yourself stronger and seeking out similar magicals and uniting to really "save the world" as your friend Granger called it."

The Voice had explained that on December 21, 2012 a great cataclysmic disruption had been prophesized by the magical Mayans. Other civilizations throughout the _centuries_ had also warned of the impending disaster. Despite all of their science, technologies and other advancements, the Muggles would be helpless so great the catastrophe would be.

There would be earthquakes, tsunamis, floods, droughts, violent storms and cataclysms the likes of which the world in living memory had not seen. Many of these things would be impossible to stop but a coalition of as many powerful magical creatures which could be assembled must band together to try and stop the total destruction of the world.

"Dumbledore and the Ministry of Magic would scoff at this call," the Voice had told him, "Dumbledore would pronounce the magic needed for this assemblage to be dark and therefore Britain would not be participating as well as the rest of Magical Europe. Had he been alive he would have done all in his power to stop magical Europe and any other parts of the world from working as one to stop the cataclysms and to 'let nature take its course' or some such nonsense."

Roddy had heard rumors about the oncoming doom in both the Muggle and Magical Worlds. There were numerous documentaries on the Mayan Prophecy on television and many books were written on the subject as well as other doomsday prophecies.

When Roddy had been in school in Germany, he had thought his looks and mannerisms well changed enough to venture into certain "social activities" as he called them in the Magical World. These had mostly been magical festivals and rites usually occurring on the main magical holidays.

They were forbidden in Britain thanks mainly to Dumbledore and other "Light thinking wizards" as being dark and offensive to Muggleborns. Thus a large part of magical culture and heritage was not only not taught at Hogwarts since Dumbledore's tenure as Headmaster, but after the first defeat of Voldemort declared totally illegal. Books on the subject had been banned and taken off the shelves of Flourish and Blotts.

Fortunately these festivals still flourished despite Dumbledore being head of the ICW and trying to influence the rest of Europe to see his way of thinking. The Voice had told Roddy Dumbledore had actually blamed Grindelwald's philosophy and rise to power on the sacred rites and festivals and had more than once addressed the assembled ICW that "such pagan rites serve only to inflame the young and foolish and glorify the dark arts and it MUST STOP."

Naturally as soon as Roddy could find one he attended. He had lost his virginity at his first festival so he had been eager to attend others. It had been a Samhein festival and all wore masks so he felt safe and rather free.

His first lover had been wearing the mask of a white owl and this reminded him of Helwig. She had been shorter than he so that was a bonus as he had never grown taller than 5'10" despite all of his surgeries and health regimens. She had a low, whispery voice and they had made pleasant small talk mostly about the rites and the types of magics they were most interested in. It was dark so he could not tell the exact color of her hair except that it might be a dark blondish but it was long, reaching down to her waist and soft and silky to the touch.

They had been drinking sacred wine laced with blessed herbs and although neither of them had gotten drunk, they were pleasantly mellow. Their joining had been "magical" and they knew each other in the biblical sense four times. She had also been a virgin and in magic circles when two virgins of good soul and powerful magic indulged in the Mother's joys, special magics would happen from the joining.

When he awoke at dawn the next day, she was gone and next to him was a small white lily "to remember me by." It was only then that he realized he had never asked her name nor had she asked his. It had been beautiful but bittersweet and definitely a patronus worthy moment.

He had attended every festival and rite he heard about, but he had never again found her. He went to learn and observe more than to meet with other magicals – unless they were witches. Sex was a form of worship and a celebration at these rites but normally only the young and unmarried partook in these ceremonies.

Children who were conceived during the rites were viewed as a blessing and were not considered illegitimate, except in Britain thanks to Dumbledore's campaign. Therefore Roddy and his partners were not allowed to use contraception spells and had to swear on their magic to that effect.

He never knew if he was a father, but then again it was safer that way for any child he might have sired. It would be a curse to be the son or daughter of Harry Potter, which is why he never gave his name and always spoke with a slight accent in one of the languages he had learned.

Although he no longer needed glasses he wore Muggle contact lenses to change his eye color usually to a blue or light brown shade. His hair had been tamed down once those charms had worn off but he wore it very short and without the bangs to hide the scar that no longer existed. He was definitely taller, healthier and carried himself well and no longer resembled the short, scar-riddled, malnourished boy who had been Harry Potter.

He never used glamours because a quick spell revealed them. He was still paranoid enough to think that for some reason people would still be looking for him. He even had the occasional dream before attending the rites that Aurors or someone from his past would come sweeping down on him, take his wand, bind him and spirited him away just to make his life a misery.

He never attended any rites in Japan because the Japanese had their own special ceremonies and didn't allow outsiders to attend. He would be allowed to attend should he marry into a family or be officially adopted but that was something he just wouldn't do, at least at this stage of his life.

He really loved the country and its people and had wanted to continue living there and contribute his magic to help the island nation survive the deluge. However, he had been informed by one of the elders that although he was well respected and a very powerful wizard, he had to return to the area of his birth as that was where his magic began and would be the most potent.

There was no way in hell he was returning to England. Oh he'd go back to Germany or Switzerland or any place but the British Isles.

"Perhaps that was why the Ministry was going to such lengths to find you," the Voice had told him.

"What do you mean?"

"Think about it. You were the Boy-Who-Lived, the Chosen One, the Savior, the potential martyr or whatever you were being called at any given moment. For the past decade or so the magicals of the world have been gathering together, discussing ways to prevent the oncoming catastrophe. Books of ancient magic were being brought out from hidden places and dusted off to look for spells and charms which could stop or at least lessen the cataclysm which is predicted to come. In Britain, thanks to the likes of Dumbledore, ancient magic is almost instantly labeled dark."

"But I was not considered 'dark' so why would I be involved?"

"Because if you were powerful enough to have defeated the darkest wizard of the century, you must have either absorbed some of his dark magic or secretly possessed some of you own. Dumbledore had planned on you dying for one reason or another. If Dumbledore had lived, believe me if you killed Voldie and somehow survived, Dumbledore would have either killed you outright 'because the boy must be dark' or imprisoned you because 'you were going dark' and all of it would be for the Greater Good."

After thinking about it for a moment, Harry responded to the Voice "Yep that does sound like something Dumbles would do. Even after his 'foolproof' plans had gone astray by him dying, he still made arrangements for me to be controlled via his Will. Leaving Hermione, Ron and me things that would 'force the three of us' to work together to search for the Horcruxes. Now that I think about it, I always wondered how he managed to be waiting for me at King's Cross after Voldie killed me."

Harry could hear the Voice smirking. "I believe you will find out how he did that someday, but only after a lot of researching which you have been too busy to do. Perhaps after the deluge is over and you, and hopefully most of the world survives, you can work that into the list of your things to do."

"You know how it happened, don't you?" Harry had asked.

"Yes, but you need to find out for yourself either in this life or when you get around to dying."

Harry/Roddy sighed. Voices could be so helpful yet irritating at times.


	9. Chapter 9 - Orientation

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 9 – Orientation

Because Roddy Owens really needed to earn a lot of money so he could build up his now almost non-existent bank account, he took a very high-paying job in an exclusive Swiss clinic. It was both a Muggle and Magical clinic staffed by mostly Muggleborn and Half-blood personnel all well-trained in both Muggle and Magical medicine. It served both Muggles and Magicals but was divided by the exclusive Muggle side and the partially hidden exclusive Magical side. The two sides never really met so this pacified the Magicals somewhat.

There were some things that magic could not heal, or at least heal legally. Curse scars, such as Harry Potter's famous lightning bolt scar, could not be healed with magic and glamours could be detected. Thus to really get rid of it, Harry had to have Muggle plastic surgery done on his forehead, around the scar from the basilisk bite and the scar from his blood being taken and used at the time of Voldemort's resurrection.

Roddy had been interested to find out that although the dark mark had faded more after Voldie's final death than it had after 'his first death' it did not go away entirely. It still could be seen albeit faintly. Thus, any former Death Eater with any money had come to this clinic to have the scar permanently removed the "Muggle way' since the mark, being a magical curse, could not be removed by magic – unless Voldemort did it.

It was Roddy's first day at the clinic. He had had a tour and orientation in the morning and he was now on his way to the cafeteria to get some lunch.

A healer on the magical side of the clinic, whose name Roddy had already forgotten, decided to attach himself to Roddy and "join him for lunch." He had mentioned to Roddy that "Maybe Harry Potter could have removed the dark mark, it was said, if he still could speak parsel tongue and found the original spell used to create it," the healer had laughed, "but then he lost the ability to speak snake and it is a well-known fact that the boy was so stupid and magically inept that if it hadn't been for the Hero Ron Weasley, helped slightly by that Mudblood whore, You-Know-Who would never have been defeated."

Although slightly annoyed Roddy kept the smile on his face before innocently asking, "I heard Potter was a powerful wizard as, after all, he did defeated old Voldie when he was just 15 or 18 months old."

The healer laughed slightly before revealing the 'real facts' of what happened on October 31, 1981. "No, that was just the story that old Dumbledore spread about. The 'real' national hero, Ron Weasley, revealed what really happened."

"Oh do you know this Ron Weasley?" Roddy asked innocently wearing his Pure-blood mask to hide his anger.

"Well no, not personally, but my cousin had the honor of going out with him for nearly a month. He wrote several books after the war and while he was autographing his book for her he asked her out. While they were dating, he confided to her several things which were not told in the books because the Ministry thought it would tarnish the Great Albus Dumbledore's reputation. However, although certain things were not printed in the books, Ron made sure that people found out by word of mouth."

"Like what?" Roddy asked.

Sensing an audience, the healer continued. "It seems that it was James Potter who really killed Voldemort before dying of his wounds."

"Really? How did that happen? I had heard once it had really been the boy's mother, who was considered the most powerful witch of her age, who had cast some protective spell on her child using her own death as a catalyst so that after she was killed and Voldie…"

"Stop saying his name," the healer shouted.

"I am just saying Voldie not Voldemort. I mean the guy's been dead for.…"

"Well you still shouldn't say it…out of respect"

"Respect! Respect for Voldemort?" asked a shocked Roddy.

"No. Just respect – for something, I don't know but you just don't say it. Now where was I. Oh yes. From what the Hero Ron Weasley said, James Potter, as only a real Pureblood could, fought off You-Know-Who for over an hour. Unfortunately he was distracted by his hysterical wife – a Mudblood, no less and why he ever married her nobody knows but it is said she used Amortenstia on him."

"Anyway James Potter was distracted, and You-Know-Who gave him a death blow and not the AK curse (the healer just couldn't bring himself to say the full unforgiveable curse) because he was a Pureblood and had fought so well so You-Know-Who told him he did not deserve a death curse which had originally been used to kill cattle and lately used to kill, and only should be used to kill, Muggles, Mudbloods and Half-bloods and the occasional cowardly blood traitors who did not fight well. Instead You-Know-Who mercifully used the disemboweling curse on James Potter."

"Oh how kind of him," said the Voice inside Roddy's head.

"Ron Weasley told your cousin that?"

"The HERO RON WEASLEY," the healer corrected. "My cousin Alison says you must always say the 'Hero Ron Weasley' because next to James Potter and Albus Dumbledore, it was really the Hero Ron Weasley who saved Britain."

This was the only time Harry regretted not asking Andromeda what lies Ron had been sprouting in the books. Then again, Ron might not still be alive if he had had.

"Continuing on, You-Know-Who went up the stairs where the stupid Mudblood – the Hero Ron Weasley's words, not mine – was frantically trying to gather up a treasure in galleons, jewels and precious heirlooms of the Potters so she could take her bast….ah child and flee."

"She spent an hour while her husband was fighting off the worst Dark Lord in a century to gather loot?" asked Roddy.

"Yes, yes she did. Amazing isn't it. Anyway, she had almost finished when You-Know-Who walked in and actually gave her a chance – since her husband had been so very brave – to stand aside and let him kill the child."

"Of course, she would have to drop all the money and leave so she could go off and live with her lover – and considering she was a Mudblood slut – the Hero's words, not mine – Snivellus Snape, who was probably the _**real father**_ – but being…what she was, she just screamed 'not the money, never the money, kill the kid but let me have the money' so You-Know-Who just had to kill her – I mean, who wouldn't?"

Roddy didn't say anything but just stared at the healer in total shock.

"So You-Know-Who justifiably killed the Mudblood – Hero Weasley's words, not mine – and he threw such a violent curse at her it caused the cot to actually break and the wood to splinter off and hit the screaming baby – as according to the Hero Ron Weasley, Harry Potter was always screaming and crying about something. A piece of wood hit the baby and that was how he got the famous lightning bolt scar. Amazing isn't it?" the healer asked again.

"Unbelievable!"

"By then James Potter, as only a true Pureblood hero could, had crawled up the stairs and took the opportunity to cast the AK curse at You-Know-Who…"

"In the back?"

"I don't know, he just did. He was the one who really killed You-Know-Who."

Roddy sighed as he had to do something – otherwise he would be strangling the $%#*^#$^# bastard in front of him. "Then why was it said that it was Harry Potter who defeated VOLDEMORT and why was he called the Boy-Who-Lived?"

The healer sighed before saying to Roddy, as if he was talking to a small child, "That is what Dumbledore told everybody."

"Why?"

"Because you have to know – you are not English are you? "

"My father was Welsh, my mother was German, and I was raised by an aunt and uncle after my parents died in a car crash. Since my uncle traveled all over the world due to his job, I was basically self-tutored in magic because my mother was a Muggleborn, my father a Muggle and my aunt and uncle were Muggles also."

"I have heard of this Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter, VOLDEMORT and others, but know only what I have read about them and what a witch I met some years ago told me. She went to Hogwarts and knew this Harry Potter and that Ron Weasley person…."

"The Hero Ron Weasley," the smug healer corrected.

"The Ron Weasley you are speaking about. She told me many things concerning the last Voldemortic War and some about the first, but never did she tell me any of what you are telling me. So why then did this Albus Dumbledore tell everybody that Harry Potter was the Boy-Who-Lived?"

"Because he was a shameless Muggle lover. This is a fact few knew. Dumbledore, while an excellent and noble wizard, valued Muggleborns above all others. Some say it was because his own mother had been one, so he became their defender and champion."

"According to the Hero Ron Weasley, Dumbledore had gone to the house where all of this happened, cast a spell, saw what really happened and then decided to further Muggleborn rights by lying. He told everybody that the baby defeated the Dark Lord and as the boy's mother was a Muggleborn, he hoped this would influence people to respect Muggleborns more."

"Why would he do that?"

"I don't know exactly why just that he did. You should really read the Hero Ron Weasley's books as everything would be explained to you."

"I thought you said you only know about this because Weasley told your cousin these things and THEY WERE NOT IN THE BOOKS because of Ministry pressure."

The healer tried to correct his error. "You should still read the books."

"Do you have copies of them and if so, could I borrow them?"

"Well yes and I will be delighted to loan them to you."

Harry had never wanted to read the books but after all of this he just had to.

"You will probably have to kill Weasley," the Voice whispered.

"Probably, but not until I actually read the books and listen to what that ass told everybody."

"To continue, Harry Potter grew up spoiled and big-headed with his horrible Muggle relatives. He was too lazy to find out anything about the Magical World and depended upon the Hero Ron Weasley to tell him everything he needed to know."

"Yes, I understand that but WHY DID DUMBLEDORE TELL THE WORLD THAT A BABY DEFEATED VOLDEMORT IN THE FIRST PLACE?"

"Because he was very dear friends with and the mentor of Minerva McGonagall and wanted to do her a favor."

"Oh this has to be good," the Voice said.

"What has that got to do with anything?"

"Well you see," said the healer puffing up his chest a bit, "Dumbledore had singled out McGonagall to be his replacement as Transfiguration teacher and Head of Gryffindor House once he became the Headmaster of Hogwarts. For some reason she didn't know what was best for her and wanted to keep doing her job as an Unspeakable and not become the protégée of Albus Dumbledore. She was also engaged and Dumbledore doesn't allow Hogwarts teachers to be married as it was his contention they should be 'married to their career' and what better career can someone have, especially a witch, than to work for Albus Dumbledore."

"Ron Weasley told your cousin this?"

"Of course, he told her."

"How did he know?"

"His own mother told him," snapped the healer as if that explained everything.

"But Dumbledore had made up his mind that Minerva McGonagall would come to work at Hogwarts and that was that. It was for the Greater Good after all."

"According to the Hero Ron Weasley's Blessed Mother, Dumbledore managed to break up her engagement and have her discharged from her position so that she would not have any option but to take up his gracious offer. Apparently she didn't want to but then some people just don't know what's good for them. Eventually she had no choice but to work for Dumbledore and eventually she even became the Deputy Headmistress. Now you would think she should have been immensely grateful wouldn't you?"

"Brace yourself," the Voice said, "You probably will not like what he will say next."

"I already don't like what he has been saying, but you are probably right."

Roddy paused for a moment supposedly to think but in reality to control his temper which he was fast losing. "Personally if I was that witch I probably would have wanted to keep the job I had and marry my fiancé."

"Well then you would be like her – too stupid and ungrateful to appreciate the honor which was being given to her," snapped the healer.

"Well that is just me," said Roddy dangerously, "but you still haven't explained why this Dumbledore…"

"If you hadn't interrupted me I would have. Now to continue, this ungrateful, silly woman had a job that only few could even dream of and what do you think she went and did?"

"I don't know."

"She gets pregnant!"

"Oh she got back with her fiancé?"

"No! It seems that, from what the Hero Ron Weasley's Blessed Mother told him, this stupid woman was a whore!"

"No!"

"Yes! She was a wanton who slept around with all types of men and, it was rumored, even some of the students. She had tried to seduce the Hero's own brother William before the Hero's mother had to go to the school and thrash the hussy senseless and then she left William alone."

Roddy thought he was going to die if he didn't laugh soon, but he just had to ask, "So this McHorrible witch was making money off of the students…."

"NO! She was a whore and was just seducing students and men."

"Well then she would technically be a 'slut' as a 'slut' has sex for pleasure and not money whereas a 'whore' has sex for money so this witch would be a 'slut' and not a 'whore' and therefore.…"

The healer was sputtering his outrage, "Stop with the semantics. The fact of the matter is that this witch had given birth to several bastards but Dumbledore always forgave her and covered up her shame. Her last known bastard was the Mudblood Lily Evans, the mother of the Coward-Who-Really-Just-Had-A-Head-Wound. Dumbledore decided to use this Evans bitch as a heroine and her bastard as a symbol thereby ignoring Pureblood James Potter's true…"

Roddy was about to explode. He tried to picture in his mind Minerva McGonagall – siren, sex kitten, seducer of wizards and child predator. Minerva McGonagall actually having sex with anybody was a stretch for Roddy's imagination, but actually running amok, bed bouncing with who knew how many males and potentially dragging Bill Weasley into a broom closet (and why not Charlie Weasley while she was at it) and having her wicked, wicked way with him. Also popping out kids resulting from her various liaisons – nah, it was just too big a lie even for Ron to tell. It had to be a warped idea of Molly, no doubt in revenge for something McGonagall did which Molly didn't approve.

But then Roddy realized that the healer had just said that LILY EVANS was one of McGonagall's bastards. He had also said HARRY POTTER'S MOTHER SPENT AN HOUR GATHERING LOOT AND VOLDIE COULD KILL HER SON IF SHE COULD KEEP THE MONEY.

Now he really had to keep control on his temper otherwise he would be chocking the stuffing out of this fool.

"Wait, I thought you said that Lily Evans was a Muggleborn."

"Well yes…

"But if she was McHorrible's kid and McHorrible was a witch and did the dirty with wizards, wouldn't that make Lily Evans at least a Half-blood?"

The pompous healer stopped to think about the fact but quickly came up with an excuse. "More semantics but I suppose that could be true. However, even if she was a Half-blood by birth, she was a true Mudblood by morals and personality."

"Ask him who the father was," urged the Voice.

"No. Besides he already said it was Snape."

"True, but let's see if he sticks to it. You could also ask if 'McHorrible' as you are calling old Minnie knew who the father of Lily was."

"So this Harry Potter was the grandson of McHorrible, the son of her daughter Lily but who was Lily's father and was James Potter definitely Potter's father."

"No, I already told you who the Hero Ron Weasley thought was the REAL father of Horrible Harry."

"I forgot."

"He said that it was probably Snivellus Snape, although it COULD HAVE BEEN OTHERS. Now what were some of the names…ah yes. There was a wizard named Lucius Malfoy (Roddy's eyes bugged out hearing that said), Filius Flitwick (Professor Flitwick!), Peter the Pettifour (the healer's neck looked to be begging to be choked), Batty somebody – ah Barty Junior (Crouch? thought Roddy – well he did have dark hair like Harry's) Fenrir Blackback or something like that (a werewolf but not Remus) and, who else did he say now? Ah, Mundungus Fletcher – no wait, that was not Harry's father it was the mother's father."

SLUG, BLAM, CRUNCH, CRASH, SPLAT were the sounds of the healer being hit and hitting the floor after Roddy struck hit him. He couldn't help himself. Mundungus Fletcher as his mum's father! McGonagall shagging Fletcher – that wasn't funny or even ridiculous just downright disgusting.

The shocked face of the healer looked up at Roddy who had to come up with some reasonable excuse for hitting the pompous ass without exposing himself as Harry Potter. The first thing that came into his mind wasn't much but it would have to do.

"Mundungus Fletcher was the uncle and godfather of my mother's dearest sister-in-law and wife of my mother's brother! How dare you sully the name of such a man who would have been a great uncle to me had the uncle and aunt who raised me not travelled out of Britain for my uncle's job. For you to besmirch his name and to infer that he…he…coupled with that SLUT McHorrible…well it is not to be borne."

With that said Roddy made a hasty escape.

For the first time ever the Voice was actually laughing in Roddy's head. "You just have to write McGonagall an anonymous letter and "tell her you are a former student or something like that and you heard scandal being batted around in Canada or someplace and ask if she knew the Weasleys were spreading such lies about her. Have one of the elves take it to Britain and send it by public post owl and then hide in her office just to see the expression on her face and…."

"No, I am not going to do that! As tempting as it is I am still too mad at McGonagall and no doubt she knows about it already."

"Doubt it. Just because you have reason to loathe her doesn't mean there aren't others who would protect her from the lies. It might not have been printed but I am certain Molly Weasley made it up and had her Ronnie blab it to anyone who would listen, but McGonagall does have a good personal reputation and is liked by many of her former students some of whom might have taken steps to protect her from hearing about it."

"Hmmm. Yes that makes sense. I'll draft a letter and have Winky write it out and then take it to Britain for public owl delivery – but I won't have her lurk around to watch McGonagall read it – too risky."

"Then why write the letter?"

"Just in case she _didn't know about the lies_. I know it is cruel but that is why I am doing it. Let Minnie beat the dung out of Molly and/or Ron."

"You won't enjoy it as much if you don't know."

"I'll know because I'll probably be able to hear the screams over here and I'll get copies of the _Prophet_ for a few weeks to see if there have been any murders committed."

"Are you going to read the books?"

"Yeah, if that ass won't loan them to me I'll have Winky pick up some used copies – as cheaply as possible."

It took him a week to get around to writing the letter. The pompous healer did come up and apologize to him. Apparently he had been informed that Owens was not only a very powerful wizard but knew many ways of harming someone the "Muggle way" having spent much time learning various forms of martial arts in the Far East. He did not want to get on his bad side. He did loan Roddy the books so he didn't have to waste money buying them.

The books were fairly well-written which meant that Percy had probably ghost-written them. The content was definitely a mixture of mostly Ron with some Molly and Ginny exaggerations thrown in. The first book was about the war, probably to establish Dumbledore and Ron as the real heroes of the war, followed quickly by the second book concerning the Hogwarts years.

The first book was a great work of fiction. Ron had been generous giving some praise to certain people like Remus Lupin and Tonks and naturally his brother Fred. George, Bill and Charlie were also mentioned as great fighters getting credit for the things they had done but also for things which other people had done. A lot of Hermione's brilliance and research had been credited to Bill.

It was "revealed" that Percy had been an undercover agent for the Order of the Phoenix, risking life and limb and just pretending to be anti-Dumbledore on the orders of the great wizard himself.

Ginny had been made into a veritable Joan of Arc and credited with _**all the work**_ which Neville Longbottom and others had done during the year the Golden Trio had been "on the quest." It was she who had single-handedly and at great personal risk, took control and led Dumbledore's Army during her sixth year and what would have been Ron's seventh.

It seemed that the organization "supposedly founded by Potter and Granger had actually been Ron's idea and it had been Ron who really ran it and taught everybody the spells they needed to fight and survive the war.

Harry Potter was painted as a craven coward and the "quest" they were supposedly on was merely Ron and Granger chasing down Harry and dragging him back to Britain to face the Dark Lord.

For some reason that even Ron didn't know about, Dumbledore had cast a spell on Harry Potter which would cause the killing curse to bounce off of him and hit the Dark Lord. It seemed that Harry Potter had not been "killed" in the Forbidden Forest he had merely fainted and the Death Eaters had brought him back for Voldie to taunt and kill him, but Dumbledore's last spell had actually killed Voldie and ended the nightmare.

There were a lot of "errors" in the book which anybody who fought in the Battle of Hogwarts could easily refute but apparently no one had come forward to defend Harry and call Ron a liar. NO ONE. Not Neville, Luna, Order Members, definitely not McGonagall or any of the other teachers and certainly no one from the Ministry. Harry didn't know whether to be seriously angry or heartbroken.

WHY? Not one person? Had those who had been there been obliviated? Well Harry Potter would never know as Roddy Owens refused to find out. The only way he possibly could find out would be to go back to Britain – which is what the Ministry wanted.

He had a new life now and intended to live it, stay away from Britain and attempt to forget the past. He tried to tell himself it didn't matter, but as the Voice said, "Oh but it does matter as you are, despite your many talents and notable accomplishments, a mere human with feelings, curiosity and the need to know the truth."

"But I won't like what I would find, would I," Roddy responded to the Voice. "Therefore, I will ignore it – at least for now."

"Ah, after the Deluge?"

"Perhaps."


	10. Chapter 10 - A Chance for Romance

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 10 – A Chance for Romance

Roddy was settling in nicely at his new job. He was a very good physician and although he worked mostly on the Muggle side of the clinic, he soon found that his services were being requested on the Magical side.

It was there that he made the acquaintance of HER. At first he hadn't recognized her as it had been years since he had last seen her, but then the chief surgeon introduced Medi-Witch/Physician's Assistant Susan Bones to Healer/Doctor Roddy Owens.

Roddy had to quickly throw up his emotional mask. He had become a master Occlumens and Legitimist during his time in Japan and could now hide his emotions rather well especially after certain charms had been removed from him during his healing time. His recovery was fast and only an expert like Snape would have noticed the slight shock he had displayed and quickly hid. Instead he smiled at the girl – now a woman, and she smiled back at him. After the introductions they started being briefed on the case before them. Treatment on the patient began and eventually ended for the day.

Roddy was conflicted. He didn't want to risk exposing himself to Susan Bones, but they were now co-workers. They hadn't really had much contact during their school years, rarely having the same classes together and then there had always been Ron and Hermione _**chaperoning**_ him and keeping people (especially girls) away from him. The only real contact he had had with her was during the DA classes he had conducted. It had been years though and he had completely changed since then becoming an entirely different person.

Dare he risk more? She had been a pretty child, a lovely young girl (he had noticed while in school even if he couldn't do anything about it such as asking her out) and had grown into a beautiful woman. She had a ready wit and a charming personality and from what he had witnessed and heard about her, she was a talented Medi-Witch on the Magical side and had a Physician's Assistant degree on the Muggle side of things.

However, while he was deciding what to do, she decided to take the initiative and sought him out. For the first time in many a year (or at least since his escape) he was flustered, blushed and even stuttered. Mercifully she only smiled at his antics and didn't laugh.

The _friendship_ started in earnest as they were assigned cases together, met for lunch, and at times dinner, in the cafeteria. It evolved into meeting for a drink after hours (usually with others from the clinic) and after a few weeks, Roddy gathered enough courage to officially ask her out. They had a very nice dinner at an excellent restaurant which lasted until the staff politely kicked them out as they wanted to close.

They then took a stroll around the lake and before they knew it, it was 2:00 a.m. Neither had duty the next day but had had a busy day at work and although they shared several blissful kisses, Susan apologized for not inviting him to her house because her house elf (the only one she had been able to take with her when she fled Britain) would have a fit if she brought a "beau" as she termed it, home on the first date.

"But don't worry as soon I will invite you over for a meal – which I might even cook!" Ten days later she did have him over but had given the elf the night off. Roddy behaved as a perfect gentlemen (just in case the elf's idea of having a night off was to disillusion herself and spy on her mistress). The food was very good, consisting of a decently prepared roasted beef, with a roasted potatoes, creamed onions, peas mixed with a variety of different mushrooms and a deep dish apple pie with a side pitcher of cream for pudding.

Susan served a very good wine with the dinner and after dessert had asked in a posh and snobby British accent "Would the gentleman care for port or brandy? I apologize for not having any cigars but as a physician you know smoking is bad for you." They both had a good laugh at that and an extremely pleasant evening. There was a lot of kissing and cuddling but "no real action" but Roddy was mature enough not to take offense. Besides, he felt the elf lurking about.

They dated a few more weeks going to dinners, movies and even the ballet. Roddy was surprised that he actually enjoyed it but was a bit wary about going to an opera. He'd have to think about that as his cultural education was non-existent except for movies, popular music and the occasional good book when he had time to read.

They had been seeing each other for about three months when Roddy gathered his courage and asked Susan to his humble adobe for a home-cooked dinner. "After years living on my own, I did learn to cook rather well if I do say so myself. What would you prefer: French, Italian, Japanese, American – mostly Southwestern and Southern – or something classical British?"

"Oooohhh, I've always wanted to try Southwestern" Susan cooed. "Then Southwestern it is!" Roddy replied.

Damn! Of all the cuisines she had to pick this one. Roddy (or rather Harry) had eaten his way through the south west and enjoyed the food – he had even bought a cookbook. But he had never actually cooked anything with the exception of tacos, and they had been made with purchased shells. There was also the fact that he wasn't sure where to acquire most of the ingredients such as the shells, peppers, certain spices, etc. He would have to have Floody scour Europe for the ingredients. At least he had the fixings for margaritas, sangria and even rum and coke would suffice in a pinch.

Despite the problems, he was really looking forward to the dinner and hopefully Susan would stay for breakfast.

The "big day" finally arrived. Both of them had the next two days off and Roddy had Winky prep everything so that Roddy could have everything finished and truthfully said he cooked it all – except for the shells as Winky had to make those from scratch. They tasted much better than the store-bought ones Harry Potter had used.

The table was set, a pitcher of margaritas were chilling and a sangria punch was on hand if Susan preferred to drink that. The flat was cleaned, the preparation pots, pans and bowls were all cleaned and put away and the elves were given the night off. They were going to glamour themselves and take in a movie or two.

Susan was due at 8:00 p.m. and she was usually prompt. Roddy had an easy listening CD playing with several others lined up. He was tempted to have a sangria but no, he'd wait for Susan. But at 8:15 p.m., there was still no sign of Susan. He had a sudden, horrible thought that perhaps he hadn't told her where he lived, until he remembered that since she was a witch, she could just do a point me spell and find him, but then he was sure she knew his address. However, by 8:30 p.m. he was just about to phone her when the phone rang. It was Susan.

"Roddy, please forgive me but…something…has come up and I…I won't be able to come tonight. Can the food be saved for tomorrow?"

He started to get a bad feeling and he knew he shouldn't but he asked "What is this something?"

There was a pause before she said "A family problem has come up and…I have to handle it. I'll call you tomorrow and explain." With that said, she hung up.

'What family matter could this be' he thought. She didn't have any family left since Voldie had killed her Aunt Amelia. 'Oh well, maybe it is too involved to tell me now. Maybe she is in trouble or a friend, like Hannah Abbot who was as close to family that Susan had left. Perhaps Hannah was sick or one of her kids and she had contacted Susan for advice not wanting to go to St. Mungo's.'

No, that couldn't be it as Susan had mentioned once she didn't keep in touch with anyone back home due to several things she didn't agree with. He thought back to the conversation explaining the main reason.

"My best friend in the entire world, Hannah Longbottom, has basically 'disowned me' you could say because I left Britain and will not come back. She called _my excuse_ of having too many bad memories as nonsense. She claims it is my duty to return home and help repopulate the country. She told me that is the only way I can claim my full inheritance – that and marrying. She even had some prospects **who would be willing to marry me**."

He now remembered asking her who and she gave a noticeable shudder before replying. "A housemate of ours was looking for a new wife as his had committed suicide. I told her that if I was married to the detestable Zacharias Smith, I'd consider doing myself in also. Well actually I would poison him or he would suffer _a tragic accident_."

They both had a good laugh about that but Susan wasn't finished yet. "Then there is another year mate, a Gryffindor no less, who caught his wife in _flagrante delicto_ , divorced her ASAP and has been drinking himself silly ever since. It helps that his father owns a Muggle bar." Roddy thought it sounded like Seamus Finnegan, but since he wasn't supposed to know him, he didn't ask.

"There were a few wizards, all of whom were 'on the shelf' or had been widowed or divorce that no witch, or even a _Knockturn Alley hag_ , in her right mind, no matter how desperate she was, would consider. But the absolute worse choice my once-upon-a-time-best-friend-forever wanted me to consider was someone who she knew that I positively, absolutely, irreversibly despised while we were at school and now outright hated."

To be polite he had asked who did she hate that much? She replied with a question.

"I heard about your initial meeting with Crappel (NOTE: the doctor with the relative who had briefly dated the Hero Ron Weasley) and I have always wondered if, as he claims, you were so impressed that his cousin knew and had actually dated the Hero Ron Weasley, that you had asked to borrow the signed a copy of his book. Now I believe you have better taste and also one must take everything Crappel says, not with a grain but the entire shaker of salt, but he is still saying it and has insinuated that he will arrange an introduction for you the next time you are in Britain. It isn't true, is it?"

Roddy's eyes went wide and he had to control his emotions before he sputtered out "Your so-called friend wanted you to MARRY THAT PIECE OF…SHIT?"

"That is why she is my ex-friend. Supposedly, since I am over 30, I am running out of time and since he and the others are available…well I shouldn't be that picky. I told her I would rather run off with Voldie if he returned. She then accused me of turning dark and the only way to save myself was to marry a famous Light wizard, especially one who was a Pureblood AND had defeated Voldie. I was so shocked that I was speechless for once – big surprise isn't it?"

"However, when I regained my voice, I told her in no uncertain terms that she could go…well it isn't repeatable even in front of Death Eaters or the proverbial drunken sailors. After she sent me a letter, hinting that 'The Hero' himself might be willing to come for a visit, as long as I could properly entertain him – whatever that meant but I shudder to think – and _**interview**_ me for the _**prestigious position of his wife**_. If I passed muster, then we could return to Britain and get married, with his mother handling all of the arrangements. But he'd only marry me if I could still collect my inheritance."

"Is she still bothering you about this?"

"Not since I moved, left no forwarding address and had my house heavily warded. Also, I've arranged for any mail sent to me from Britain to be magically directed to Gringotts Paris, who for a substantial fee, will check it for charms, hexes, etc. and discretely forward it to my Gringotts branch without revealing my whereabouts. I haven't heard from her since but the Ministry of Magic has been trying to contact me and convince me to return to do my duty and save my soul. I had the Goblins reseal it and send it back 'return to sender, address unknown' but every so often they try again, especially with the Deluge looming."

Roddy put away the food and drinks. He then tried to read a book but could not concentrate. He still had that bad feeling and since he had learned long ago to trust such feelings, he had to act – probably like the typical Gryffindor he had once been. So he left a note for the elves, disillusioned himself and apparated outside Susan's house.

The lights in the living room were on as well as all of the lights on the other story. He peaked through the living room window but the room was empty, so he made his way around the back and looked into the kitchen window. He was truly shaken at what he saw. There was a man sitting at the kitchen table, his back to the window, picking at a plate of food. He looked a bit shabby and his back was hunched. Roddy didn't know who it was only that it was definitely not Ron Weasley.

He should have left then and there but he had to learn more, such as who the man whose hand Susan was now patting.

They might hear him if he came in the back or front door even if he put on a silencing charm. He knew he was being paranoid and should go home and let Susan explain when she had a chance…but…he just couldn't.

He looked around and saw that one of the windows of a bedroom at the end of the house was opened a bit, so he magicked it open all the way and then levitated himself upward and through the window. He was still disillusioned and wore the silencing spell and as he made his way out of the bedroom he felt a spell hit him, which cancelled his two spells. He was now visible to the very angry house elf, who probably had cancelled the spells, but it wasn't until _**she**_ spoke that he noticed the girl.

"Who are you and why are you breaking into our home?" the child asked.

She wore a frown on her face and had a wand in her hand which he noticed only secondary to her looks. There, before him was an ebony-haired girl with vivid green eyes, just like his eyes, minus the blue contact lenses.

He was at a loss for words, and to make matters worse he heard Susan running up the stairs yelling out "What's going on up here? Are you settling in Alice and Augusta or annoying them?"

Roddy was too frozen in shock to do the sensible thing and apparate away and before he knew it, Susan was entering the room.

He'd have a lot of explaining to do!


	11. Chapter 11 - An Unexpected Garden

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 11 – An Unexpected Garden

Susan walked into the room only to see Roddy lying on the floor with a look of shock on his face caused, no doubt, by looking at Susan's first born daughter. She hadn't planned on him finding out about his parenthood until after the Deluge had taken place, but apparently he had decided to spy on her when she cancelled their dinner plans. She didn't know whether to be flattered or annoyed that he was jealous, but the surprises he was about to find out about before it could be gently broken to him…well it would serve him right. Instead of saying anything Susan just stared at him waiting for his explanation. No doubt, Bonbon, one of the two family elves who Susan had smuggled out of Britain when she made her escape had put up anti-apparation wards, so Roddy was trapped.

For once Roddy had nothing to say. He didn't offer a reason why he was breaking into Susan's house or asked who was this girl as well as Alice and Augusta. Being in a mischievous mood, Susan wouldn't say anything until he spoke. It was a battle of wills and Susan probably would have won except that _four more girls_ came into the room to see what was going on. Just as Roddy thought things couldn't get worse, who walked in but Neville Longbottom, wand in hand and in a battle stance.

"Is everything okay?" Neville asked still ready to defend Susan and the girls.

"Things could be better" Susan sighed. "But it is good as it is all out in the open now – before the Deluge. Neville, girls, this guilty-looking bloke is Roddy Owens…once known as Harry James Potter."

Now this got Roddy's attention and a comment. "Whaa…whaaa…what do you mean this is Harry Potter? I'm Roddy Owens – you know that so why are you…."

Neville went over to Roddy, who was still on the floor and gently pulled back Roddy's ear and then replied "Oh yes, it IS YOU HARRY. You've had 'work done' on your face and your abused body has been healed, but that tiny diamond-shaped birthmark behind your left ear proves that you are you – Harry!"

Since Roddy/Harry never had cause to look behind his left ear, he didn't know he had a birthmark. The expression on his face caused Neville to add "I guess you never noticed you had a birthmark behind your ear and no one told you or perhaps even noticed. However, I noticed it one day as you were drying your hair after coming out of the shower. I thought nothing of it until after you left Britain. It was said that you were getting a full make-over to disguise you fleeing so that your cowardly behavior wouldn't be discovered after Ron wrote his books."

"Just so you know, there were many of us who tried to defend your reputation, but we were threatened with lawsuits and Hannah wouldn't marry me unless I kept my mouth shut. I thought I was in love with her and would do anything to have her, so I caved. After I married her, I found out that I was being slipped love potions – not Amortenstia but other potent potions which are virtually undetectable. But I was married according to Pure-blood tradition and she was pregnant with our son, so there wasn't anything I could do without losing most of my wealth, child and reputation if I divorced her. By then, her father was the Minister of Magic and wouldn't tolerate rebellion in any form. I never told them about the letter you sent me and destroyed it for safety."

Roddy didn't say or admit to anything as at the moment he didn't trust Neville. Was he here to drag Harry back to Britain?

Apparently, Neville sensed his fear and said "Just so you know, I am not here to drag you back to Britain, any more than I would take Susan back. She knows that my girls and I are fugitives and will…never…return home."

"Neville is telling the truth" Susan added. "I too refuse to return even though I leave behind my hereditary home, much of my wealth and only have what I managed to bring with me. That consisted of the Bones Grimoire, some other priceless books, some jewelry, a few clothes, my two elves Bonbon and Berry, and enough money to finance my education and purchase this house by means of a Muggle mortgage."

"I had to leave my son behind because Hannah thought that I would never leave without him, so he has been living with the Abbotts to prevent me from _'doing anything stupid'_ as it is now called in Britain. However, my Grandmother died ten days ago and while settling her estate, I managed to acquire her personal fortune and with the help of my personal elf Nelly, we had been gathering a few heirlooms after Gran got sick, and three days ago the girls, Nelly and I finally escaped Britain by using fake Muggle passports and flying to Amsterdam."

"Why so desperate to escape?" Roddy asked.

"Because the Deluge is coming very soon and the only thing Britain is doing about it is to try to lure _'dark wizards'_ back to use the magic, claimed by Dumbledore to be the darkest of the dark, to save our country. You are the main target since _'it is well-known'_ that you are a dark wizard and thus expendable. They are hunting you and others to do their dirty work for them so as not to sully their magic and keep it _'pure'_ according to Dumbledore's definition. This is a leftover of Dumbledore's influence which now reigns supreme and thus anything done in his name for the Greater Good is excusable no matter how despicable it truly is."

"Who are the 'dark wizards' the Ministry is trying to lure back?" Roddy asked, still not admitting to his real identity.

"You, any powerful wizard/witch who has 'shamelessly abandoned' their country – especially if they are rich – any Death Eater who has still not been caught, and a few 'enemies of the state' on a special list which consists entirely of those who the Ministry – and to some extent the Weasleys – have a vendetta against."

"I'm one of them" Susan replied. "The last time I was in Britain, I was already pregnant and all I needed was to give birth to a black-haired, AK green-eyed baby, who would immediately be taken from me by the Ministry because you were on the most wanted list even then. Apparently, people thought you still had a fortune and wanted to sue you for not doing _'the job'_ correctly the first time and then taking too long to off Voldie, resulting in the death, injury and/or loss of property during the war. The Weasel's books did much to discredit you and said that one of the reasons you so quickly fled was to escape punishment for your crimes and the lawsuits."

"And it gets worse" Neville added. "According to Weasel, when you and Hermione robbed the Lestrange vault, _unknown to Ron, who was bravely keeping watch_ , besides Helga's Cup, you stole a fortune in money and jewels and hid them in Hermione's bottomless bag. You made off with half of it and Hermione hid the rest of it in Australia, which is why she left. The Malfoys and the very few remaining relatives of the Lestranges are suing you and Hermione for this theft and the Weasleys filed a defamation of character suit because it was claimed that Ron was involved in the theft when he really wasn't."

"In other words, everything is the same in Britain despite the war and I'm once again a scapegoat, a probable dark lord just waiting to take over the world, a thief – even though the Goblins robbed me blind – and who knows what else" Roddy/Harry stated sadly.

"You got that right" Neville replied. "However, you are not the only one as anyone in Britain who participates in the spells to prevent the Deluge is automatically considered a dark lord and after the Deluge passes, they face a lifetime in Azkaban or get sent through the veil. Dumbledore has proclaimed it so and even went so far as to sneakily have it enacted as a law. Apparently, he called a secret session of the Wizengamot filled only with his supporters and passed it, swore them to secrecy until knowledge of the Deluge became known and the Wizengamot began to organize all of the Magicals of the world to prevent it."

"But from what is known of the Deluge, it could destroy the planet unless magic saves it" Roddy stated.

"You know that, I know it, Susan does and many others in Britain also do. From what I _accidently_ overheard when I was tipped off by Nelly that my father-in-law was visiting Hannah things are bad. Hannah told Nelly that I wasn't supposed to know he was visiting, so naturally Nelly told me and I used a secret passageway to the drawing room that Hannah doesn't know about – because I didn't trust her enough to keep the Longbottom secrets – and got an earful."

"I overheard him telling Hannah that she should send Susan a letter, using their friendship to convince her to return to Britain. Susan is a powerful witch with elementals in her family, and although Susan never said anything to Hannah, her father found out that Susan is a wind elemental. Besides getting Dark Lords such as Harry Potter and Hermione Granger back, an elemental's magic is needed to help counteract the Deluge."

"And if Susan did return and used her magic against the Deluge, would she also be sent to Azkaban or through the veil?" Roddy asked.

Neville hung his head in shame before answering "Yes, but Hannah's father said it was Susan's duty to save her country and the dark magic she would be using – according to Dumbledore – would probably kill her anyway but at least she would die a hero and a credit to the House of Bones. But the worse thing of all was that since Susan was the last of her line, any property she had would revert to the government with Hannah receiving a portion of it for bringing her friend back."

Roddy/Harry was shocked. "But they had been friends since early childhood. How could Hannah do such a thing?"

"Greed, power, wealth, the gratitude of her father" Neville replied. "Shortly after our marriage when I found out about the potions, she actually laughed when I told her I knew. She said I was too shy to find a decent witch to marry me, especially one of her caliber and connections, so her arranging our marriage was the best thing that would ever happen to me."

Susan now added "Actually, it was the best thing to happen to Hannah as Neville is a hero – despite what any Weasley said – as well as a Pureblood and Hannah is a Half-blood. Neville has a great deal of money, good investments, valuable heirlooms and artifacts and is recognized as THE expert in Herbology in Britain. Had he been allowed to travel to do the research he wanted to do, his status would be enhanced but once he married Hannah…her father forbade him to leave even for research and even if the children stayed with Hannah."

"I'm an earth elemental" Neville replied. "Thus, I would be sacrificed like Susan and the others and Hannah would have the children and control of their inheritances. Basically I have been a prisoner in my own home allowed only to go to work at Hogwarts – I'm the Herbology Professor – but must floo home every night and for the weekend. Other than escorting Hannah to social events in support of her father, I'm an unwilling hermit confined to my ancestral home."

Susan continued the explanation and said "Neville got access to my address when Hannah sent me the first letter. He warned me about what he had overheard and begged me to not come home as it really would be the end of the House of Bones. When I moved and left no forwarding address, Hannah threw a hissy fit and demanded that her father place me on the wanted criminal list, the one you, Granger and Death Eaters are on offering an award for bringing me in."

"Luna Lovegood escaped after eloping with someone – she didn't mention who it was, but that is typical Luna. Neville sent a message with her to give to me if she ever ran across me and she did. We kept in touch and since Luna is still considered 'looney' and nothing of note, due to the unkind gossip of other Ravenclaws and the Weasleys, no one cared or even noticed when she left."

"I've been in contact with Luna without anyone finding out as she uses ravens to deliver mail. Owl mail coming into the country has been charmed to divert to a special department at the Ministry who looks it over and decides whether or not it will reach the recepient. Of course, they are looking for 'outlaws' such as us. I use Luna's raven to send messages through her to Susan, and the two of them keep other British expatriates advised of what is really going on" Neville added.

"Some are returning but not to Britain" Susan said. "A lot of people are gathering in France and helping them fight the Deluge and in doing so, hope to save Britain from the harm that the Deluge is predicted to do. I was going to tell you at dinner tonight but then Neville showed up with Alice and Augusta so I had to settle them in and get briefed by Neville."

Harry looked at the five girls assembled in the room happily listening to the explanations. There was the ebony-haired girl with the AK eyes and two girls looked a lot like a Longbottom, but who were the other two girls? Susan sensed Harry's confusion and decided that introductions were needed.

"Roddy, allow me to make the introductions of these lovely girls who have been patiently waiting to be introduced. These two cuties are Alice and Augusta Longbottom, the apples of Neville's eyes." The two girls gave a very nice curtsey and blushed.

"The dark-haired girl is Harriett Lily, and the two girls with my strawberry blond hair and your eyes are Pomona Petunia and Poppy Peony. Did you know that your Aunt Petunia's full name was Petunia Peony Primrose while your mum's full name was Lily Lilac Lotus? I looked them up in the Muggle archives on a whim."

Roddy/Harry looked like he was about to faint especially after a young boy with ebony hair and _his eyes_ entered the room (he had been eavesdropping but decided he wanted to be acknowledged) and Susan introduced him as Henry Edgar Bones or Hal as he was known by the family.

Roddy/Harry turned paler than an albino vampire, his eyes going as wide as saucers, his mouth falling open and his body swaying a bit. However, when Susan casually mentioned that " _We did have sex four times_ at that gathering – hence four children were conceived.

That was when Roddy/Harry fainted dead away. Nobody blamed him.


	12. Chapter 12 - Treachery

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 12 – Treachery

When Roddy/Harry regained consciousness, he was immediately given a calming draught, a cup of hot sweet tea and a tuna salad sandwich since he had missed dinner. Nothing more was said about the…garden…as he referred to it in the privacy of his mind and he just wasn't ready to ask any questions. He should have gone for Slytherin instead of Gryffindor as not only might things have been different, there would be an excuse for his current cowardly thoughts in not asking more about _**his**_ new found children.

Susan said nothing more and instead (to his great relief) talked about the great matter that was the Deluge. He and Susan had already volunteered as did most of the magical staff at the clinic. The clinic had announced being closed from December 7th through the 16th for "repairs" so that the magicals could be briefed, perform the rituals, cast the spells and then (hopefully) recover from the stress and strain.

Susan's house had only three bedrooms: 1) one for her and now would be sharing with Harriett; 2) one for Hal; and 3) the largest for her two other girls and Alice and Augusta. "No, I can't enlarge this place as it is Muggle-built and 300 years old and it cost me a lot to get it fitted out for modern living. Neville will have to bunk up with you or sleep on the couch" Susan said looking at Roddy. In other words, Roddy would be having a roommate whether he wanted one or not.

Neville asked Roddy to check him for trackers, curses and spells, even though Susan and both her elves had already done it to Nev and his girls. Once it was again determined that all were "clean" Roddy took Neville to his house and caught up with things.

"Just so you know, Ginny Weasley's second marriage was dissolved by her husband's family – after they found out she was constantly cheating on him. In that culture, HONOR IS EVERYTHING and especially purity and faithfulness in a wife. She is lucky to alive, but she is complaining that all she got to take with her were the things she brought into the family, such as the clothes and jewels she had left over from her marriage to Malfoy."

"She had gotten rid of most of the clothes because they were old, out-of-fashion and her new hubby had taken her to the best Magical and Muggle designers in Italy and let her have as much as she wanted. Rumor has it that in the 2½ years of her marriage, she had spent roughly G100,000 for a Magical wardrobe and £250,000 for designer Muggle clothes."

"That sounds like something Ginny would do" Harry added. "What did she end up with?"

"Only what she had brought with her and since she had gotten rid of most of the Malfoy clothes, except for the very expensive gowns and robes, her new elderly mother-in-law had an elf present her with a burlap bag containing those things and the jewels – Ginny had the good sense not to get rid of the jewels. Naturally she screamed bloody murder and demanded a settlement only to be told that the only settlement she would get was leaving with her life and not having her face cut up."

"Did she move back with her parents?"

"Yes, as she had no other place to go, no money and no job or hopes of getting one. I think it is quite sad – except that it happened to someone who truly deserved it" Neville said and Harry/Roddy agreed.

"A lot of Muggleborns went back to their original world due to the normal conditions of things and some just left the country, which is also normal. What really annoys them is that if they have a magical child, the child MUST attend Hogwarts. For some _strange reason_ " Neville said using air quotes, "the Pure-blood birth rate is as it always was in our time, Half-bloods are doing a bit better but not by much so now, despite the terrible conditions and strong distaste for Muggleborns, their fees are the only thing keeping Hogwarts open."

"How are McG's new courses working out?"

"They were fine for the first few years but due to _budget cuts_ and other things not _clearly explained_ , things are almost back to Dumbledore's time. Professor Sprout retired when I took over BUT, there was trouble with her pension, meaning she would only get ¼ of it due to those unexplained circumstances and to get that she would have to live at Hogwarts and help out with classes, caring for the greenhouses but not paid."

"What? How can they do that?" Harry/Roddy asked.

"Because the ¼ pension is considered a salary and she still has room and board and extra perks for living at Hogwarts, although said perks are the same as in Dumbles' time. However, the pension plan was changed without the teacher's knowledge and instead of getting the amount they were supposed to get at retirement…well let's just say that a lot of money from the pension plan was missing and had been since the 1960's. Also, Dumbles forgot to mention that the Ministry was taking taxes out of the pension every year. With the way the cost of living has soared in the past ten years, poor Pomona couldn't survive on the tiny amount she would receive."

"So who is left?"

"McGonagall is still Headmistress, Vector is Deputy Head – Filius was relieved of that position after two years as someone high up in the Ministry and/or Board of Governors noticed that a – and I give you a direct quote – _'There is a filthy Half-breed in a position of power and that cannot be allowed to continue'_."

"WHAT? Filius Flitwick is one of the best teachers in Britain, a world famous dueler, has the Magical equivalent of two . and…."

"And that doesn't matter as this is the same old, same old Britain we knew and loathed" Neville sighed. "The way it stands now, the only reason why he is _still allowed to teach_ , is because they can't find a qualified replacement. People might have the proper credentials but no one wants to teach at Hogwarts due to the 'pension problem' and the now almost non-existent salary. The 'prestige' of being a Hogwarts teacher is a thing of the past. One could say that most of the teachers are now prisoners because at their age they would never find another job and have nothing to live on."

"But you are a teacher and…."

"And because I am a rich Pure-blood, it was decided by the Board and Ministry that I don't need a salary and thus 'donate' my services as a matter of pride."

"Nev, who decides these things?"

"I don't know for certain as it is not widely known, but there are one or even two, very powerful cabals who control everything. Just so you know, despite my heritage, wealth and inherited political power, my opinion is not sought and no attention paid to as it hasn't ever since my #*&#& *#&&^ father-in-law became Minister of Magic. According to Gran, the Longbottom name and marriage to Abbott's daughter greatly helped in getting him elected."

Harry/Roddy was too shocked for words and Neville noticed. Besides it was very late and both of them needed sleep, so Neville promised to tell more _gossip_ tomorrow.

Although Roddy had the next day off, an emergency meeting of the Deluge Committee was called. Neville went wearing a hood to cover part of his face, until he was assured by Albrecht Ziegler, the Head of the Committee, that as long as he wasn't a spy for the British or European Dumbledore faction, he was safe. However, safety being what it was, Neville had to take Veritaserum to make certain he was him and not lying about anything.

Ziegler addressed the crowd. "As you well know, Britain is not participating in the rituals to save the world. Apparently, that #*#&*#(&!* Dumbledore had made _unchangeable laws_ _regarding the use of dark magic_ , or what _he considered dark magic_ which was most of magic. Therefore in 'honor' of the old #$*# &#^^&, all decent, noble and Light Magicals will not sully their hands doing such dark magic, however, they have been trying to recruit wizards/witches of British decent who are dark and will use that magic to save them."

The assembled people sighed in disgust, especially as Ziegler continued. "Unfortunately, they have not been successful in luring back such _'dark wizards'_ as the infamous Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Luna Lovegood and others to do the deed for them. Of course, it is no surprise, since this is Britain we are discussing, that if any of the so-called dark wizards are stupid or insane enough to return to the land of their birth not only would their magic be exhausted for a few days after doing the rituals, but they would be sent to Azkaban, Kissed and/or their bodies thrown through the Veil."

"For some _strange reason_ , none of them have volunteered to return and many British Magicals have fled the country, even though it means leaving their money, heirlooms and property behind to be immediately confiscated by the Ministry. Even those who have returned to the Muggle World, are _going on holiday_ en masse. Whether they return, no one knows. Their possessions cannot be seized by the Ministry as Muggleborns who live in their original world, don't have accounts at Gringotts, but earn Muggle money and use it to buy property, goods and services, pay Muggle taxes and considered themselves to no longer be subjects of the Magicals or Ministry. Thus the Ministry cannot seize their property or bank accounts."

"The good news is that many are coming to the Continent to participate in the rituals, hoping to save not just the world but their own country. They will be concentrating in France, Germany, Denmark, Norway and some in Iceland and forming a magical ring encompassing the British Isles and Ireland. They are participating not only to do their duty to the planet but in the vague hope of saving Britain."

The assembly broke out in loud applause until Ziegler held up his hand for silence.

"The reason for this emergency meeting is because we have received intelligence from a reliable source. The British Ministry knows about these self-sacrificing individuals and even if they save the country from earthquakes, floods and the other predicted disasters, these Brits will be condemned as dark – after they have saved the country, of course – and in their weakened condition will be unable to help themselves and be at the mercy of the British Aurors and Hit Wizards who will invade the coasts of the five countries giving refuge to these potential saviors and carry out a death sentence, using whatever spells, curses or hexes, including the Unforgiveables and the use of the Dementors."

The assembly was too shocked for words, but only until the horror of it sunk in and then pandemonium erupted. It took Ziegler nearly five minutes to calm down the crowd to inform them of the steps that were being taken to counter the wickedness. New plans had to be made, instruction and training moved up and all had to be done immediately and in great secrecy.

"Therefore, instead of beginning the rituals at midnight on the 10th and pacing themselves through the 13th, and recovering on the 14th and 15th, everything had to be moved up to at least the 7th and slowly but surely the rituals would begin. It would take longer to do and hopefully wouldn't affect the rituals, but with the threat of invasion looming and all Magicals in a weakened state, we must make precautions and hope for the best."

Naturally, many people had questions and one guess who was one of the most persistent? I'll give you a hint. In school she had impossible and unmanageable hair. However, the years had changed Hermione Granger in more ways than thought possible. She now wore her hair in a short but attractive style, was tastefully dressed in a Muggle suit (no doubt expensive from the looks of it) and had an air of confidence and success about her. When Ziegler seemed as if he wasn't going to take questions, a little thing like that wouldn't stop the witch. She was beyond the frantic hand wave of her youth and simply stood up, sonorized her voice and asked her questions in her usual rapid fire way.

"Herr Ziegler" she began ignoring any condemnations or shouts to sit down and shut up, "I have some questions that I am certain others share and must be answered due to the importance of the issue."

In short, she asked who the reliable source was; had they been given Veritaserum; had any other reconnaissance been done to verify this information; had sufficient research been done concerning the effects of starting the rituals early; would the pacing weaken the rituals; and would have asked more but she was interrupted.

"HERMIONE, SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" said the wizard who had been sitting next to her.

"But Justin, these are questions that must be answered so I am just…."

"How do you know that I wasn't going to mention what I was doing regarding the new plans I was making?" Ziegler spat out.

Without missing a beat and before anything else could be said by the Ziegler, Hermione temporarily ignored him and addressed the wizard sitting next to her and who was now bowing his head in an attempt not to be seen and failing as it seemed all attention was directed at them. He was not the only one as Roddy, Neville and Susan were doing the same even though they were sitting nowhere near Hermione.

"But Justin, these are the most important things which must have an answer and if he actually was going to impart the information, he is doing it entirely too slowly and as time is of the essence, it needs to be hurried."

Now Ziegler, was bowing his head (which suddenly started to ache) and trying to control his temper. Finally, he asked "And just who do you think you are demanding…."

"Oh pardon me, I do tend to forget to introduce myself. I am Hermione Granger, a/k/a Mrs. Justin Finch-Fletchley – this gentlewizard sitting next to me is my husband Justin. I had always intended to hyphenate my maiden name when I married but since Justin already had a hyphenated name…well one does not have a triple hyphenated name as it just isn't done!" Justin was now trying to slyly cast a disillusionment charm on himself with the hope of sneaking out of the assembly – but without success as Hermione grabbed his wand and then continued her oration.

"Now, Justin and I were classmates at Hogwarts – along with Harry Potter who really isn't a dark wizard just slandered by the MoRon Weasel, a very jealous, conniving and…."

"WHO THE HELL CARES?" Ziegler finally yelled out and cast a silencio on her. "Now back to what I was saying before such a rude interruption, I…where was I?"

Many people were trying to hide the smiles they now had while Ziegler's assistant reminded him where he had paused. It took a long time to get back on track but eventually, things were explained and assignments were given. It all had to be memorized to avoid falling into the hands of the perfidious British Ministry of Magic.

Everyone was given 10 hours to make arrangements for their families and jobs and to report back to begin the training. Time had always been limited and now they had even less of it and much more to do. All hoped it would work.


	13. Chapter 13 - The Deluge

J K Rowling owns all the rights to the books and the amazing characters she created. I write only to satisfy my imagination and use my creativity and make no money from my writings.

Chapter 13 – The Deluge Arrives

The news of the potential British invasion not only angered the world but lives in Europe and Scandinavia were not only put at personal risk and stress, but it was feared that the other countries' work would be lessened. Therefore, it was decided by the Deluge Committee and unanimously passed by the other nations that all wizards of British descent would concentrate their magic from the five lands participating in the attempt to save Britain.

If their magic wasn't enough to save their foolish land, well too bad. There was also the possibility that there wouldn't be enough people who would be participating and not only was the British Isles in danger from some of the destruction predicted, but it might magically exhaust the saviors and in the worst case scenario, use up all of their magic and left as a permanent Squib and/or die.

When Zeigler announced the decision he also added "Due to the danger to such a small amount of people, no one will fault you if you decide to join the rest of us in fighting the Deluge and not assist in trying to save the countries of your birth. Due to the circumstances, you must decide NOW as even without the sufficient training needed, in order to pace yourself you must start no later than tomorrow to save Britain. Please choose NOW."

"What if we still have our magic but are totally exhausted and the Ministry attacks us to destroy the dark wizards that just saved their mangy hides" Hermione asked. Most of those participating had the same worry.

"It has been decided" Ziegler stated "That when that happens, those of us who aren't magically exhausted will volunteer to help prevent the invasion as it is a clear and present danger to our land also. The 'triumphant British' might decide to loot our homes, businesses and Ministries. The volunteers will try their very best but since we won't know until the Deluge is over…nothing can be guaranteed."

There was complete silence while the Brits tried to decide what to do. Then Ziegler added "I forgot to ask. Can any of you cast a decent Patronus? There is a good possibility that Dementors might be sent over first and as this is a difficult spell to cast we need to have volunteers ready who still have enough magic to fight the creatures."

Roddy/Harry hadn't tried to cast a Patronus since…well he couldn't remember the last time he did. But he had to try and hope no one would notice the proud stag that would identify him as Harry Potter. When he showed up later that night to where the Patronus testing was to be performed, not only Susan and Neville were present but Hermione Granger and her poor husband Justin and a few others Harry remembered were two or three years behind him in school. It wasn't enough but it would have to do.

Hermione went first (naturally) and produced her otter. She expected applause but no one clapped. Then Justin cast his and a majestic Great Dane appeared, snarling and snapping. He did receive applause begun by Roddy, Susan and Neville. A rather miffed Hermione just had to rain on Justin's parade.

"I learned my Patronus in fifth year along with Harry Potter. I taught my husband the spell but it took him _years_ to learn it" she said smugly.

"No wonder his dog is snarling and snapping" Susan remarked to Roddy and Neville "He probably wants it to eat her."

Then the others went, performed their spell and the only one left was _'that Roddy person'_ as Hermione referred to him. They had been introduced by Susan as one of her co-workers. Roddy shook Hermione's hand then Justin's but did not make a fuss about meeting the _famous Hermione Granger, one of THE Golden Trio_. Of course, she had fled from Britain and never looked back, making a new life for herself, got married and now had twin boys, age three.

It would have been nice to finally be recognized for the sacrifices and contributions she had made, but after she and Harry had fled (but not together) and with that ridiculous, inaccurate book _Ron the Pure-blood_ had written, he was believed over the hero _Half-blood_ and heroine _Muggleborn_. She was fortunate she had met Justin while attending law school and they got along wonderfully well – a lot better than with Ron – and they had a good marriage, careers, were respected in their fields and had two wonderful boys.

However, ever since the news of the Deluge had been announced two years ago, _something just snapped inside Hermione_. Although this was her chance to really save the world, Justin's contacts had sent word of exactly how things were in Britain. If they went to Britain, they might be magically exhausted to such an extent as to become Squibs and in any event, for using such dark and evil magic to save the world, it would be Azkaban, especially for Hermione who was now on the most wanted list with Harry.

Starting in January 2012, the British volunteers were given instructions for the magic and rituals needed to stop world destruction. The plan for casting the magic on the coasts of countries nearest Britain was formed and the stress of trying to save the land of her birth, had seen the witch return to her old habits. Justin still loved her despite her attitude but if they survived he sincerely hoped she would return back to being the witch he fell in love with. His mantra was _"After the Deluge, everything will be fine and like it was before and we'll try for a girl this time."_ At the moment it was the only that kept him going.

Now that they were actually in France, Hermione seem to _"lose it – big time"_ and Justin knew it was due to her nerves, the stress of the Deluge itself and the long-buried need to prove, if only to herself, that she was still the brightest witch of her age and just as powerful – if not more – than the "Pure" of Magical Britain. He sincerely hoped they would both survive.

Just as ' _that Roddy person'_ was about to cast his Patronus, he turned to the others and said "I haven't done this in years so please bear with me."

Immediately, Hermione informed him that "If you fail, I will help you practice until you get it right" not noticing the looks everybody was giving her. As Harry knew, _she was really trying to help_ but in a very annoying way. So he thought up some very happy thoughts and decided his Patronus would be the largest, scariest stag anyone had ever seen. He might also have it chase her making her run for her life. He knew he shouldn't do that to his REAL first friend, but what the hell, why not.

Roddy cast his Patronus. People oohed and aahed as the biggest, meanest, most incredible _SNAKE_ appeared, which started chasing a now screaming Hermione who was running for her life. Roddy received applause but Justin just looked at him with mixed emotions.

Susan saved the day as she spoke directly to Justin saying "Well Roddy is a physician, wears the caduceus so that is probably why his Patronus is a snake."

That made sense, even to a very surprised Harry. However, he hoped that Justin would remember the dueling club in their second year when the snake conjured by Malfoy looked as if Harry, speaking parsel, was sending it at Justin when he was really telling the snake to leave him alone.

The tester came over to Roddy, shook his hand and said "That is a really impressive Patronus…but could you stop it from chasing Ms. Granger?" So Roddy did and then made a very quick getaway before Hermione could give him a tongue-lashing.

The next day the British volunteers began the rituals to save the Earth. They were pacing themselves so as not to tire out or strain their Magic. They started on December 8th stopping only for food, drink, a loo break and the least amount of sleep they could get away with. It was exhausting, stressful work and by the morning of the 12th they were all in a weakened, almost catatonic state, but they had to keep doing the strength-sapping magic until midnight.

One elderly witch had collapsed on the 11th, totally exhausted but still would have the use of her magic in a few days, but she had done her part to the best of her ability. Besides, she would now have a 'mini-vacation' in a comfortable infirmary for at least a week, resting, eating and drinking well and chatting with others. For someone who is old and alone, that was the best thing ever. When the clock struck midnight, it was over and the others collapsed where they stood.

The Muggle news media had been covering the "possibilities" of what could happen on the 21st. Everything from a rogue planet crashing into the earth, gigantic tsunamis, earthquakes off the scale of everything ever recorded, volcanoes erupting all over the planet, a plague worse than the Black Death that killed within hours and for which there was no cure or treatment and, in some cases, symptoms so you just dropped dead, and anything else of dire consequences the most fanatical end-of-days one could imagine.

Now one may ask, if Doomsday was on the 21st, why all of the hurrying to start and finish the rituals as early as the non-British wizards and others did. I will tell you. It had to start early because it had to be _**finished**_ before the 21st. If it wasn't over and done with at the very least 7 days before the 21st, Magic wouldn't have time to heal Mother Earth and give her the protection she needed to survive.

Despite the exhaustion of the Magicals who had participating in saving the Mother, they were still on alert for the "British invasion." Squibs volunteered to guard the coasts and were armed with many Muggle weapons from guns to anti-aircraft weapons, which wizards had no defense against. Also the various navies had _unscheduled_ war games "to test preparedness" so ships and aircraft were seen "playing their games" but in reality were on the lookout for wizards. Since anti-apparation wards were being put in place, the only way the Brits could invade was by air (brooms), boats or by Muggle transportation.

It took several days for the non-British wizards to recover from their magical exhaustion and much to everyone's relief, there wasn't a sign of the invasion force. People were wondering why. Had the Brits changed their minds, finally realizing the error of their ways? The Continentals were hoping they had but the British expatriates unanimously agreed "Something must have happened because it is a well-known fact that British wizards have no logic or common sense but do have an over-abundance of hubris and greed."

After much debate, it was opined that they were waiting for the 21st or even the 22nd to invade, because perhaps "They wanted first to pick up their children from Hogwarts for the holidays." Whatever the reason, it was with great relief that things were peaceful enough to return to their homes to celebrate the Solstice and Yuletide.

However, Roddy/Harry would prefer to single-handedly face an invasion than have the discussion with Susan which had been delayed due to the emergency. He had always wanted a family and now he had _four children_ whose existence he hadn't known about until a few weeks ago. Although he liked Susan, he barely knew her. Would she and the children even want him in their lives? Was he ready to take on the responsibility of the children, if only by paying for their support?

Since Susan had said nothing, probably because she was magically, physical and mentally exhausted (Roddy/Harry hoped), he didn't either. He spent his recovery chatting with Neville, Justin and a few other Magicals he was acquainted with while Susan did the same. However, she was chatting up Hermione a lot asking questions about their mutual acquaintances and, of course, Harry Potter.

Hermione had _"given it her all"_ no doubt to _**prove**_ she was the greatest witch of her age. She had lasted until the midnight deadline and then promptly fainted. She was unconscious for three days before she awoke and then was very, very weak. She would have to stay in the infirmary for at least another week but as the healers, Justin, Neville and Susan constantly told her, her exhaustion was not a sign of weakness or lack of magical power, just that she had over-fueled her magic, hence her current predicament.

"She just needs a lot more praise and healing than your average witch" Justin told Neville and Susan. "Also, I think she is still worried about the 21st and the safety of Britain. If anything bad happens, she will probably blame herself."

"Or take credit if everyone is safe?" Susan sweetly asked. Justin didn't say a thing but just nodded.

On the 19th all but Hermione and a few others were released. Both Susan and Neville wanted to get home to their families before the 21st…just in case things didn't turn out well. People with families did the same so that on the 21st only those who were still in the infirmary or waiting for others to be released, like Justin was, remained. Healer Owens also remained in his capacity of a healer and because like Justin, his patronus was strong and there was that possible nasty invasion to worry about.

And yes, he was delaying the…confrontation…with Susan and the children but reasoned that his Gryffindor courage left when he stopped being Harry Potter, just as his patronus had changed.

At least that was what he told himself while he awaited another battle with British wizards. But this time would be different as ALL British Magicals would be starting the conflict and not just the Pure-bloods. As a respected and powerful Japanese Mage once told him "War will always be with us as it is in the nature of human beings. Some people manage to conquer the urge, but most don't, so we must all seek peace if the earth is to survive."

Well at least he had the excuse of staying to fight a war and once again save the world. He just hoped Susan and the kiddies would accept his self-sacrifice or – well he just had to hope for a good end.

NOTE: One more chapter left. Peeves has been doing "weird things" - more than usual - and I fear he might be on his last legs. Plus as usual, life had gotten in the way and it is HOT and HUMID where I live. Please see my revised profile regarding why I haven't posted any work on some stories. Thank you for reading my stuff.


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